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Conquerors starts with such an incredible barrage of quality that I really thought this might be the best power metal album I’ve ever heard. Well, things do start to slip by the middle of the album, but even with that “slippage”, this is still one Hell of an awesome melodic metal album.
When God was handing out voices, he loaded Nils Molin up with more talent than just about any other human being I’ve heard. Good…God…Almighty! What a golden set of pipes Nils has! This is a singer for the ages, right up there with the late Ray Gillen, early Geoff Tate and JORN. From clear soprano that rings like a crystal bell to smoky DIO-like tones, this guy can do it all and he elevates every song he sings on. Then we have the other core member of NEW HORIZON, Mr. Jona Tee, a grand master of the axe who spews forth lightning from his guitar. Not only that, but Tee plays every other instrument here as well, although some guest musicians sit in. These two men are NEW HORIZON and they float this project to the top of the power metal lake.
First song ‘Against All Odds’ moves from a pompous cinematic beginning into a blistering speed metal assault in a spectacular opener. We are introduced to Nils Molin’s jaw dropping vocals and a chorus of such quality it would make HAMMERFALL weep. This song is what HAMMERFALL has been trying to achieve for 30 years. To show it was no fluke, we then have ‘King Of Kings’, which unbelievably ups the ante…it’s faster, catchier, more melodic, more shredding. It’s awesome. And yes, the song is about Jesus. I don’t know if NEW HORIZON consider themselves a Christian band, but on this song and ‘Before The Dawn’, their lyrical leanings are plain. It doesn’t hurt the music one bit. In fact, it may even enhance it.
‘Daimyo’ has more of a regal mid-paced thrust but once the chorus is lodged in your head, you will never be able to dislodge it. One of the best singalong choruses I’ve ever heard. ‘Shadow Warrior’ opens with the heaviest, meanest riffs of the album, but moderates somewhat into another quick and catchy power metal gem. On these first four songs, I was blown away like a rag in a hurricane and was preparing to mark this as maybe the best power metal album ever.
Alas, from here, things drop from “awesome” to merely “very good”. ‘Apollo’ is a keyboard dominated big of prog metal that noticeably cannot match what has come before, even though Molin’s vocals still kill and the guitar solo is deadly. The band never quite gets it back to the level of the first four songs…’Fallout War’ and ‘Edge Of Insanity’ are strong and energetic, but not THAT strong. ‘Messenger Of The Stars’ is the first sub-par song, meandering with syrupy melodies. ‘Before The Dawn’ is soft and balladic, but Molin’s vocal duel with the wonderful female vocalist Elize Ryd is just flat out astounding. The album ends with a cover of IRON MAIDEN’s ‘Alexander The Great’, an excellent choice but not quite as powerful as the original.
At the end of the day, Conquerors is a tremendous power/prog metal excursion dominated by one of the best voices in all of metal. There is a potential for this band to be greatest in their genre if they can keep to their strengths.
Review By: Dr. Abner Mality
NEW HORIZON
Conquerors
Frontiers Music