All hail to thee! - A review of Visigoth's Conqueror's Oath

American quintet Visigoth plays traditional heavy metal with an epic twist reminding of Dio, Manilla Road and Manowar but also more contemporary groups like Atlantean Kodex, Grand Magus and Pharaoh. The music is powerful, mid-paced and of epic proportions. The guitar riffs are grounded while the solos provide some catchy melodies without ever drifting off into progressive territories. The rhythm section is solid and serviceable to the songs and while the bass guitar manages to stand out in a few songs, the drumming remains at times formulaic. The vocals are probably the greatest asset of the band as they manage to be melodic yet powerful. They give the song material a quite anthemic note. The lyrics that deal with battles aren't sung in a sinister but rather in an uplifting tone. It's the kind of music one could listen to before riding into battle. Any song from this album would blend in perfectly on a Game of Thrones soundtrack and the likes.

Even though the eight tracks sound quite homogeneous, almost all of them manage to stand out in one way or another. The majestic opener ''Steel and Silver'' features incredibly catchy vocal lines that start the record on a particularly high note and would have deserved the release of a single. ''Warrior Queen'' is a little bit more dynamic with many melodic guitar solos, energetic backing vocals and a wonderful conclusion with enchanting flute sounds, soothing vocals and uplifting choirs that recall Jethro Tull. The melodic ''Hammerforged'' could come from a classic Manowar record of the early eighties and has a chorus worthy of a national anthem. ''Traitor's Gate'' is heavy metal storytelling at its very best, starting slowly with fragile melodies before quickening up the pace instrumentally and becoming more emotional in the vocal department until the slower middle section with passionate guitar solos gives a short break before the track concludes on an appropriately epic note. The surprisingly fast-paced ''Salt City'' is an anthem dedicated to the band's hometown that is performed with genuine passion that should be used by the local tourism department.

In the end, Visigoth's Conqueror's Oath deserves its positive reputation and is one of the best epic heavy metal records I have heard in a quite long time. The band might not reinvent the genre but performs its eight songs with creativity, energy and passion that make this record engaging from start to finish. The organic production recalls the bands of the seventies and eighties that quite obviously inspired the band. The stunning cover artwork represents the material perfectly and is the cherry atop the heavy metal cake. If you haven't listened to the band yet and like classic heavy metal or so-called true metal, you can't get around this band in general and this album in particular.

Final rating: 90%