New Band: Holy Grail

Do you like Iced Earth? Blind Guardian? Helloween? Then you will probably like Holy Grail. Their debut album, Crisis In Utopia, is one of the best examples of power metal by a new band. They don't go off the deep end, focusing on one aspect of their music (DragonForce), and they don't start off strong only to falter after a song or two (Charred Walls Of The Damned). They don't do anything really new with the genre, but they do what they do well, and that's enough for me.

Holy Grail's style is reminiscent of the early/mid albums of the groups I mentioned above, in that it is power metal through and through, but it also contains a splash of thrash - not to the level of the first Iced Earth/Blind Guardian/Helloween, but closer akin to their third or fourth. Where the bands begin emerging from the sounds of the mixed thrash with NWOBHM, and into the field of power metal, where they belong. The melody is there, the vocals are crisp and easily understood, the guitars and drums are dueling in the way that only power metal does it. Superb.

Besides stating that this is a really good album and a great band, there isn't much to tell. As I said above, Holy Grail doesn't bring anything new to the genre, and that's not always a bad thing. They are a brand new band, playing music on par with the greats of the 80s, and that is not something you hear every day. I'm looking forward to their next album (you know, in a couple of years) to hear in what direction the band travels sonically. Do they follow their precursors into a more 'powerful' power metal? Or into a more thrash base - thereby moving backwards through history? Or do they strive into a new path? I am excited and intrigued to see what the future holds for Holy Grail.