Submitted my review for the debut from Shadowquest - Armoured IV Pain. With a lineup that should be deemed a supergroup in the truest sense of the word, without the stigma that comes with that brand. Of course, they have arguably one of the best singers in metal today - Patrik Johansson. The album is out on January 26th through the band! EXCERPT: On its face, you may gloss over Armoured IV Pain with the thought that it’s all been done before and there isn’t enough new ideas brought to the table. Technically, you would be right…this is unapologetically European power with not even a scintilla of material that would please fans of extreme metal. However, for those power metal fans that drone about how mediocre the style has become, if you dissect the songs even further, there are clear nuances like beefier grinding riffs that create a heavier atmosphere, fluid natural time changes, and highly memorable melodic bridges and choruses. The entire album is bound together by Dahlqvist’s ear popping – but not mega-overpowering - keyboard work and Johansson’s vocals that transcend any other singer not named Rob Halford.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 19:53:20 +0000