Australia has surprised the metal world many times over the years, with forays into several genres that were previously off limits. But I’d never, to my knowledge, heard much power metal from down under before Night Legion arrived with their second album, Fight or Fall.
Formed in 2016, the Sydney quintet feature a couple of names that may be familiar to some. Notably, Stu Marshall on lead guitar with several bands including Death Dealer. The new album sees the debut of vocalist Louie Gorgievski, whose other bands include Crimsonfire and Arkenstone.
Fight or Fall ticks all the boxes as far as the power metal blueprint goes. There are plenty of soaring vocals, galloping melodies which drive the songs forward, lyrics that tackle fantasy, swords, death, and glory, and an element that all power metal bands need – a serving of Iron Maiden mixed with Running Wild, Helloween, and Blind Guardian. It’s all here. Oh, and an album cover that feature some very angry looking werewolves.
Opener “The Hounds of the Baskerville” is well placed, an up-tempo and highly energised song that showcases the best that Night Legion can offer. The music is solid, features a cameo from Mike LePond of Symphony X, and is excellently played. As the album progresses, there are snippets of Biff Byford and Bruce Dickinson evident in Gorgievski’s manner of delivery.
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After a hectic couple of songs, the title track slows things down before leading into “At World’s End”, which briefly threatens to be a ballad before exploding into life, allowing the bass of Glenn Williams to feature prominently. It’s one of the more interesting songs on the album, with changes in pace, harmonies on the chorus, and new drummer Clay Tchakalian showing his quality.
Elsewhere, the songs are competent yet a little routine. They follow a similar course, with the anthemic style of songs like “Harvest of Sin” certainly enjoyable, albeit it nothing new. Penultimate song “The Enemy” doesn’t really work for me, the lower vocals adding a new style but at times the higher end singing struggles a little. And as expected, Night Legion finish with the big piece – “The Hand of Death”. It’s a song that kicks neatly into life, adds some symphonic keyboard elements to increase the atmosphere, and provides a solid conclusion to an album that is solid rather than hugely exciting.
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Fight or Fall is out on June 30th
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