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Gloryful: Ocean Blade
Gloryful: Ocean Blade
Power Metal
3.5/5.0
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Massacre Records
by Craig Hartranft, 03.04.2014
Returning to keep the flag of traditional heavy metal flying is Germany's Gloryful with their second effort Ocean Blade. It's basically galloping power metal across the entire album, then peppered by Jens "Shredmaster JB" Basten guitar solos.
Gloryful: threatening skies.
That's the short review as those are the high points, maybe adding the strength of the rhythm section, which has no problem keeping the gallop going. And that gallop gets crazy fast at times. The Master's Hand is a bullet train compared to the following song Cradle of Heroes, which has some speed. Actually, some of the best songs is were the speed is tempered with some subtlety as with Siren Song, but it's the exception here. To be fair there are two songs here that don't fit the power metal mold of the others. Black Legacy is a lighter song, with vocals over folk/celtic guitar arrangement. The closing song is an instrumental, a gentle symphonic outro.
Fundamentally, if you enjoy traditional melodic power metal in the European tradition, Gloryful's Ocean Blade has all the right elements to keep you happy and entertained, but they aren't really bringing anything new to the table.
Gloryful - Cradle of Heroes
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In Short
If you enjoy traditional melodic power metal in the European tradition, Gloryful's Ocean Blade has all the right elements to keep you happy and entertained.
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