(Power Metal) [CD] Guardians of Time - Rage and Fire - 2015, WavPack (image+.cue), lossless

REVIEW FROM WWW.METAL-TEMPLE.COM:

The Norwegian band GUARDIANS OF TIME was formed in late 90’s, in the superb southern town of Kristiansand by a bunch of young musicians coming from the extreme Metal scene in order to paid their dues to the more traditional and Melodic Power Metal music!

Their debut album “Edge of Tomorrow” (2001) and its subsequent follower “Machines of Mental Design” in 2004, were successfully published both received some good acclaim and positive reviews in our community, and the band had since then gained some loyal legions of fans all over the globe… From Germany up to Japan and even present in the mighty Brazil.

The main songwriters and stalwarts of the band, the genius vocalist Bernt Fjellestad and Paul Olsen on Guitars decided to revitalize the band, in 2011 the album "A Beautiful Atrocity" was a triumphal return after years of silence, with a new line-up on board and a fresh contemporary Progressive edge, "A Beautiful Atrocity" was released with fantastic critical response from the press and the equally ecstatic in the fans feedbacks… Of course, now it’s time for the fourth studio full-length offer, GUARDIANS OF TIME had signed a new deal with Wormholedeath Records, they are about to release “Rage And Fire” and this is my analysis for this piece of High-octane screaming Power Metal in the amazing Nordic Tradition… Clearly a favorable review!

The fast double-kick drums patterns, the sharp riffage in total frenzy development, the bombastic choir and orchestral pumping arrangements but most of all the soaring vocals of Bernt Fjellestad are the most obviously memorable and emblematic elements of such a dense slab of Euro Power Metal with a strong Melodic tendency and a constant blazing barrage of galvanized harmonies!

The devoted members of GUARDIANS OF TIME are more than competent and even could be tagged as skilled players, with a clear focus in Metallizing their sound to the max and providing a lot of faith in noble art of Steel, the solid foundations are built by a talented section and the whole sound is completed in a total mastery by a wall of guitarz and updated by the full ultra high screams in a stainless method similar to GAMMA RAY/PRIMAL FEAR and BLACKWELDER and their iconic bold tone!

After a cleverly orchestrated in a symphonic method intro (“Praeludium in Ferrum Pectore”) ,”Iron Heart” is a full-blown majestic Speed Metal attack, a guitar and drums assault, striking straight to your chest. With the addition of the heterogenic “Empire” there is no doubt about the Metallic dedication and the subtly of “Rage And Fire” as an everlasting album, indeed a superb songwriting demonstration, before leading once again to a flurry of intense High-pitch Power Metal injection (“Core”/”Primevil” or “Tomorrow Never Comes”) and a few anthemic numbers like “Save Me”, the closing title track and “Euphoria”!

Now it seems like GUARDIANS OF TIME are once again back to their HM roots and sticking to it, forgetting about the modern elements present in their third album “A Beautiful Atrocity” or the too complex concepts, in the profit of a galloping demented pace with some great parameters in concordance with the Heavy Metal fashion as their only goal. Faithfullin a very solid orthodoxy yet ambitious and progressive, but carefully keeping good care of staying away from the cheesy side of the Happy Metal mode!

Bernt Fjellestad: vocals
Paul Olsen: guitars
Andreas Vagane: guitars
Jonkis Werdal: bass
Geir Oivind Vagane: drums