SERIOUS BLACK
“Rise Of Akhenaton”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Serious Black are a German based melodic power metal band formed in 2013, releasing seven albums to date – ‘As Daylight Breaks’ (2015), ‘Mirrorworld’ (2016), ‘Magic’ (2017), ‘First Light’ (2017), ‘Suite 226’ (2020), ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ (2022), and ‘Rise Of Akhenaton’ (2024).

The band have been prolific since their inception a decade ago, Serious Black simply going from strength to strength with each new release, the bands latest one ‘Rise Of Akhenaton’, a forty four minute melodic power metal masterclass! Every one of the eleven songs on offer are infectious and head bang-able to the max, the band capturing listeners attentions right from the off and never letting go – the album striding into life with ‘Open Your Eyes’, the band at full tilt straightaway! The blend of heavy, power metal with the bands intense melodious nature is incredible, ‘Open Your Eyes’ opening listeners ears very wide – well they have to be to receive the coming sonic assault! After all, the albums just begun! ‘We Are The Storm’ thunders in with a mighty foot stomp that’s gonna wobble walls and shake buildings, Serious Black oozing an immense level of power and oomph across ‘Rise Of Akhenaton’s opening brace.

An absolutely sensational start, the band maintain the albums high infectious and intensity levels with the pounding ‘Silent Angel’, a punchier and more in your face song than either of the two previous ones, Serious Black hitting harder than a jackhammer smashing concrete – but with more precision and poise! The German based metallers have been rocking my world for a few years now, the bands brand of melodic power metal happy mood inducing, creating smiles a mile wide on the faces of everyone – smiles that are in no danger of turning upside down as ‘Take Your Life’ takes flight with more thunder than any thing heard so far! The bombastic barrage here is deafening, the band shaking every town and city to its knees as they breeze through like a fucking tornado – Serious Black a serious force of nature! And one to be admired too, the band dropping jaws to the floor with a mighty thud! And with even more punch and a little crunch, ‘Shields Of Glory’ venomously sets out to pulverise every listener, fan and follower, the band knocking everyone flying off their feet!

And if you try and stand tall to resist the bands unrelenting power, they’re just gonna knock you into next fucking week instead – but not right now though, ‘When I’m Gone’ the most mellow and serene song heard so far! A ballad come hymn-like swagger takes over the airways, the band enticing listeners to raise lighters high in the air – the reined in energy of a power ballad rising to the surface the longer ‘When I’m Gone’ runs to provide a welcome breather from the all consuming power and punch of the album so far. Serious Black resume the mighty mid tempo thunder with a vengeance courtesy of the heavy hitter ‘United’, the levels of everything rocketing higher than ever before! Especially the infectious level, holding listeners attentions like a neodymium magnet holds metal – neodymium magnets regarded as the strongest magnets in the world! Every song on offer clocks in at around four minutes in length – some just over, some below, paving the way for a quick moving album, an album that moves on at pace with the title song ‘Rise Of Akhenaton’. The fastest song heard so far, ‘Rise Of Akhenaton’ (the song) drops a gear to become a pace changing tempo changing thunderstorm of exquisite power metal with just a dash of progressive nuances!

And with an emphatic change in pace and power, ‘Virtual Reality’ rockets outta the blocks with a tonne of oomph to become the (new) fastest song on offer, Serious Black banging heads harder than ever as the band roar loud – very loud! Over recent years, bands such as Beast In Black and Metalite have surged into the spotlight with a blend of energy driven pop infused heavy, power metal – ‘Virtual Reality’ rubbing shoulders with these bands displaying the same immense catchy feel and party vibe! I will remember this absolute gem forever, ‘Virtual Reality’ standing tall and proud as the best song on ‘Rise Of Akhenaton’ (the album) – ‘I Will Remember’ strolling in with an air of returning balladry to the fore! But no, not this time, ‘I Will Remember’ pounding the ground harder than a ballad ever could, the band adopting the mid tempo majestic swagger of the power metal genre. So keep those lighters tucked away as they’re not needed here, nor for the albums final song either – just what d’ya think the expectation of a song entitled “metalized” is eh! Damn right – metal! And fast too, ‘Metalized’ striding in to plant its foot firmly on the traditional heavy metal monitor, Serious Black galloping forward with pace, power and purpose. And that anthemic rabble rousing call to arms chorus is simply sensational, “For metal music We live and die, In this rhythm We find our life”. Amen my metal brothers, amen!

Overall, a bombastic barrage of melodic power metal punch with a sky high infectious level and loads of head bang ability.

TRACKLIST

Open Your Eyes
We Are the Storm
Silent Angel
Take Your Life
Shields of Glory
When I´m Gone
United
Rise of Akhenaton
Virtual Reality
I Will Remember
Metalized

https://www.serious-black.com/
https://www.facebook.com/seriousblackofficial/

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