Recent Reviews

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

[ More Music Reviews ]


Lancer: Tempest
Lancer - Tempest Album Art

Lancer: Tempest

Melodic/Heavy/Power Metal
4.5/5.0

My first encounter with Sweden's Lancer was slightly more than ten years and their eponymous debut, Lancer, a solid power metal album. Though not crossing my desk since then, Lancer has been busy this past years. Despite ubiquitous personnel changes along the way, Lancer dropped two more long players with 2015's Second Storm and 2017's Mastery. Over these years, the band has appeared with Hammerfall, Gloryhammer, and Freedom Call and, back home, played the famous Sabaton Open Air festival. Now Lancer returns with their fourth studio album, Tempest, featuring new drummer Pontus Andrén and new singer Jack L. Stroem (Vandor).

Lancer - Click For Larger Image

Lancer

Lancer's metal style is self-evident: essentially a mixture of classic, keep it true, heavy metal (like Iron Maiden) merged with classic European power metal (ala Edguy, Hammerfall, et al). Driven by the quintessential element of a twin guitar attack, their metal is fast, heavy, and bombastic, yet loaded with groove. Immense guitar solos abounds. New singer Jack Stroem has some power, range, and a bit of Geddy Lee timbre.


Their power metal formula is self-evident across the album with songs Entity, Corruption, Purest Power, and We Furiously Reign. There's a few twist to be had in some arrangements. Fan The Flames offers a softer breakdown after about three minutes, only to kick out the jams to the end. Tempest, the title track, has light vocal start suggesting, perhaps a metal anthem and so it is. Rising steady and heavy it resolves with big guitar solos. But power metal mayhem returns to finish the album with Eye For An Eye and The Grand Masquerade.

All said, if you love classic melodic European power metal, you will enjoy Lancer's Tempest. The band and album have all the best metal elements for a bombastic power metal ride. Easily recommended.



Support the Artist & Dangerdog Music Reviews: This title is available, with unlimited streaming, via an Amazon Music account.


CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.


The Take Away

If you dig classic melodic European power metal, you will enjoy Lancer's Tempest. The band and album have all the best metal elements for a bombastic power metal ride. Easily recommended.

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Eclipse: Megalomanium II Album Review

By far, Sweden's Eclipse is one of my favorite bands. Always consistent and always entertaining, Eclipse has been delivering their 21st century version of melodic metal rock since songwriter, producer ... [ Read More ]

August 2024 Stats
  • Views: 15K
  • Active Users: 3.9K
  • New Users: 3.3K
  • Event Count: 43K
  • Source: Google Analytics