Gloryful
The Warrior's Code

Glorious Germans, or are they? This is a debut album of this band called Gloryful, their album is called The Warrior’s Code. Have a look at the cover artwork, the name of the band and album and then write down your answer on a small piece of paper. Done? Good, your guess is absolutely correct, it cannot be anything but that. A warrior on a polar bear fighting some mythological looking being with a sword, looks exciting. And for help these warriors has enlisted the help of Swedish metal wizard Dan Swanö to weave his magic wand over the knobs and whatever that mixes and masters this album. It is a debut but according to the press info it is a long awaited such, no bullshit just heavy metal it is also said. I like no-nonsense, then I should like this. Or should I?

Well, musically it is no surprise. Power metal with some epic touches, I enjoy the intro then comes the ever-repeated music that was pioneered by the likes of Manowar or Rhapsody, or Helloween or whatever else name you want to put in there. Familiar riffing, catchy choruses. The production is great, I really like the sound of this album. The singer is a bit on the poor side, but not useless. I’d say: do you know power metal? Then you know this album. It is not too varied either, and it plays for 55 minutes. I am not too impressed.

I think the album starts off well with a good intro, then follows something like 50 minutes of metal clichés of recycled riffing and boring themes about battles and such things. It is an okay album overall I would say, the songs are listenable albeit it has all been heard before and many bands has done it better than these guys. I have no doubt that they can do it better in the future but this feels a bit too lacking in own ideas and too much like a showcase of hero worshipping something that really escalates into a complete failure in track nine. I mean a text line like “you’re not choosing metal, metal choses you” that is just ridiculous. I am sorry to say so but it really is and that alienates me completely as a listener, up until then I figured it was a bit silly but still alright, now the music is okay but the lyrics are really embarrassing, I am embarrassed just by listening to it and would not like to be caught listening to such silliness. I am glad I did not write that track called Fist of Steel.

If you like epic power metal about heroism and adventure, Dark Moor are about to release a new album, that is a lot better than this. I might sound a bit harsh on this album and maybe I am, not the most unique album I have heard and the lyrics are stupid but the music is not that bad just a bit overused for anyone having heard power metal as long as I have. Let us just call it a debut that will not go down in history and say that they should really make an effort with the lyrics, knights and legendary tales are a bit silly.

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