Wardum-Messenger

Steel Gallery Records
2013

Somehow Wardrum's latest album (along with several other choice new releases from Steel Gallery Records) slipped right past me when it was issued this past November. And this was after the fact that I had really enjoyed this Greek power metal band's last album, 2012's "Desolation", and had made myself a promise to keep an eye out for this bunch. Well, I've got no one to blame for that blunder but myself. As I downloaded the promo material for "Messenger", which incidentally is Wardrum's third full-length album in as many years, I was curious to see if (or for that matter how) they could improve upon what was already a great progressive power metal and a fine debut for lead vocalist Yannis Papadopoulos (Until Rain, ex-Crosswind). Anxiously I pushed onward and once "Shelter" kicked this party off it kicked it off just right! With "Messenger" the band, which is also comprised of guitarist Kosta Vreto (Kosta Vreto, Horizon's End, Jaded Star), bassist Kostas Scandalis (Horizon's End, ex-Final Answer, ex-Mindloss) and drummer
Stergios Kourou (Kosta Vreto, Horizon's End, ex-Escape, ex-Death from Above), proves once more that they deserve every bit of praise they receive! Really this is a band that deserves even more praise (and press) then it currently receives and it's indeed odd that this band hasn't made more of a dent in the power metal scene then it has already. Now, last time around I remarked "Imagine taking some of the better parts of bands like Riot, New Eden, Helstar, Crimson Glory, Watchtower, Titan Force, Warlord, Vicious Rumors, Symphony X, Queensryche and Destiny's End and creating a young and hungry band out of it." When you listen to "Messenger" that same band and those same influences are there, but in an improved manner. It's the same sharp guitars and the same overpowering lead vocals that made "Desolation" such a underrated gem and for fans of good, straight-up power metal you'd be hard pressed to find a better example of how to do it right then with this Greek band! This one is highly recommended!