Nearly halfway into 2022 and there’s been a severe lack of sword wielding, battle ready power metal that’s come my way for review. Not only that, but I feel there’s been a severe lack of sword wielding, battle ready power metal in general. I’m not sure what that’s all about. Maybe everyone’s content listening to their old Omen records for the two zillionth time? If that’s the case, I can’t blame ’em. I’ll never get sick of Battle Cry, but I digress. The point is, while no power metal band today will ever come close to the mastery of the 80s (sorry Eternal Champion), I enjoy the young valiant warriors who try their hand at it, such as Adamantis.
This up and coming east coast outfit are faithful followers of all things powerful, progressive, and epic. Whereas other modern power metal bands incorporate the speed metal tendencies and virtuosic flair of the early euro scene, Adamantis keep it simple and stays true to the classic American sound, towing the line between barbarism and elegance. No one member of the band stands out from the other, but rather this quintet bands together to create sharpened steel bound to impale the false, as demonstrated on their latest EP, The Daemon’s Strain.
The effort opens with the larger than life “Storm the Walls”: An exercise in anthemic power metal, with a gigantic production to boot. I hear tinges of early Manowar and Warlord, albeit interpreted through a slightly modernized filter. I’m not sure who recorded this album, but they get props from this guy because the drum sound is absolutely tremendous, especially on this triumphant opener. On the flip side of this power metal coin is “Dark Moon Goddess”, which is an excellently crafted metal ballad. The guitar leads are exciting, as are the accompanying bombastic strings.
A re-recording of an earlier song, “Thundermark”, follows. This is the obligatory “march forth into battle” power metal hymn. It’s a formula that’s been executed a million times before, but Adamantis manages to do so well with rampant energy and unrelenting vigor. Rounding it all out is the epic “The Daemon’s Strain (House Carpenter)”. This 12 minute multifaceted suite is equal parts prog and power, with some doomy riffing and a folk metal passage thrown in for good measure. I can see why for orthodox headbangers this might be a little overambitious, but for someone who regularly frequents the classic works of Yes and Genesis, I appreciate such spirited exploration.
Clocking in at just a little under 30 minutes, The Daemon’s Strain is more of a short album than a lengthy EP, but let’s not get overly technical about it. At the end of the day, this is a strong power metal outing. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it certainly breathes new life into a genre that’s now 40 years old, perhaps even older if you include select songs from 70s Rainbow and Scorpions. Adamantis sure know how to “show their force” and “crush the hordes”!
7 out of 10
Label: Cruz del Sur Music
Genre: Power Metal
For fans of: Manowar, Warlord, Twisted Tower Dire