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Holter: Vlad The Impaler

Heavy/Power Metal

3.5/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Released: 09.11.2018
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 06.11.2018

Heavy metal and horror go together like Democrats (Socialists, if you're in Europe) and big government. So it's no surprise that former Wig Wam guitarist Trond Holter would continue to tell tales of vampires. We last heard from Holter, with vocalist Jorn Lande, for 2015's Dracula: Swing Of Death. Now, he revisits the legend of the Romanian prince known as Vlad The Impaler. But Holter is doing this without fellow Norwegian Jorn Lande. Instead he has a new band featuring vocalists Nils K. Rue (Pagan's Mind) and newcomer Eva Iselin Erichsen.

Trond Holter

Whether by musical style or thematic content, this album seems much heavier than its predecessor. Less melodic metal, but more traditional heavy power metal. The riffs are large and bracing; the pacing more intense and deliberate. As a guitarist, Holter adds to this by being a riff monster and a soaring soloist. You'll hear the power metal heaviness with songs such as The World's On Fire, Awakened, Save Me, and Drums Of Doom, which features thundering drums to accent the title. The drawback in all such tunes is that the vocalists get buried in the mix.

But Holter is not without revisiting his Wig Wam hard rock roots. You'll find that rock groove can inform such melodic heavy metal numbers such as Under My Skin, The Last Generation, and the heavy rocker I'll Die For You. True heavy metal mellowness comes with the anthem Shadows Of Love which features Ms Erichsen. In contrast to these things, the title cut Vlad The Impaler is a symphonic heavy metal instrumental featuring Trond Holter's frisky fret work. Needless to say, if you enjoy European power metal teamed with vampire mythology, you will enjoy Trond Holter's Vlad The Impaler. Recommended.

The Tangent: Proxy

Progressive Rock

4.0/5.0

Is it prog? Indeed it is. Founder and composer Andy Tillison and his band, The Tangent, return with their eleventh album in a 16 year career, Proxy. Mostly ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Needless to say, if you enjoy European power metal teamed with vampire mythology, you will enjoy Trond Holter's Vlad The Impaler. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

By far, Sweden's Eclipse is one of my favorite bands. Always consistent and always entertaining, Eclipse has been delivering their 21st century version of melodic metal rock since songwriter, producer ... [ Read More ]