What in the name of Joey DeMaio do we have here? A bearded warrior wielding a blazing sword? A lady of fire (not the kind Sir Lord Baltimore sang about)? A ravenous hawk with wings outstretched? Just by looking at the cover of Greyhawk’s debut full length, Keepers of the Flame, I knew I was in store for some cheesy power metal. But as I proclaimed in my review of Ozzy’s most recent dumpster fire, I mean, album, “There’s nothing wrong with a bit of cheese unless you’re lactose intolerant.”
Yes there are elements of Keepers of the Flame that are cheesy and even cliche. That can be said for most current power metal bands. It’s a matter of how you execute these elements that really matters. When it comes to that department, Greyhawk valiantly leads the charge. This is especially impressive considering they’ve only been around for a few years.
Keepers of the Flame boasts the usual power metal lyrical tropes of battle and fantasy. “Don’t Wait for the Wizard” examines one’s supernatural potentials. “Ophidian Throne” tells the tale of a kingdom ruled by a serpent king, although this could also be metaphorical. “Frozen Star” is the obligatory motivational battle hymn. This archetype goes as far back as 1977, when Riot famously sang “Shine on warrior.” Greyhawk does their forefathers justice and not just with lyrics alone.
While lyrically “Frozen Steel” is a nod to Guy Speranza era Riot, musically it pays homage to the Thundersteel era. So does the following track, “Drop the Hammer”. These high speed blasts of power make for the perfect one-two punch to kick off Keepers. I wouldn’t have minded the entire album to be in this vein. After all, Thundersteel is one of my favorite albums of all time. But like any great band, Greyhawk knows how to flex their muscle with a wide variety of heavy sounds. “Halls of Insanity” is a memorable melodic metal tune, while “Masters of the Sky” basks in NWOBHM inspired glory (particularly Saxon). On the instrumental “R.X.R.O.”, guitarists Jesse Berlin and Enrico Mariuzzo blaze through some Yngwie inspired neoclassical leads. My favorite song is the epic “The Rising Sun”. It deceptively begins as a power metal power ballad, before evolving into a full blown marching song.
Keepers of the Flame is what power metal is all about. From beginning to end, there’s not a dull moment to be found. Well equipped with a twin axe assault, thunderous rhythm section, thick vocals, and inspired lyrics, Greyhawk are bound to be keepers of the US power metal flame for years to come.
8 out of 10
Label: Fighter Records
Genre: Power Metal
For fans of: Thundersteel era Riot, Jag Panzer, Visigoth