Highlord – Freakin’ Out of Hell (Rockshots Records)
Monday, 12th December 2022
An Italian power metal act with a long history, this scribe’s affinity for Highlord started in 2004 with their fourth album Medusa’s Coil. Since that time, they’ve shuffled through a few record deals (mostly of the European variety) while dealing with inevitable lineup changes. Now up to their ninth album Freakin’ Out of Hell, the band would spend a longer time during the pandemic focusing on where they wanted to go direction-wise (May 2020 to December 2021) – choosing to incorporate all facets of their power metal with symphonic/progressive style, just in tighter four to five-minute arrangements as well as being a little heavier/aggressive in the long run.
Following a requisite intro mood piece “Prelude to Hell”, the heavier, stepped down rhythm crunch against a keyboard overflow plus progressive drum burst sets the stage for the hard charging “Soul Sucker”, a fine main opener that showcases the band’s strong interplay, tight transitions, as well as a rather enchanting, melodic to shredding lead break courtesy of guitarist Marco Malacarne. “Sweet Unknown” is another immediate standout, the calmer narrative sequence against the progressive riffs opening horizons for vocalist Andrea Marchisio to captivate through his versatile multi-octave prowess, soothing during the verses while reaching for the stars in the key bridge/ chorus moments. The diversity, energy, and power keep the track list flowing seamlessly, intertwining aspects of Labyrinth, Dream Theater, all the way to 70’s progressive rock or symphonic influences. “Off the Beaten Path” sizzles due to a pomp/Styx-like keyboard break from Davide Cristofoli, while “Eyes Open Wide” contains all the dazzling guitar, keyboard, and rhythm section juggling beyond a commercial sheen in the verses to make this single a solid staple in the Highlord catalog. An interesting cover art where it seems an animated version of the group appears to gain favor from the depths ties this all together nicely – mirroring the aggressive stance of this material.
Six years after a solid outing for Hic Sunt Leones, Freakin’ Out of Hell will more than meet the requirements for most power/progressive metal followers in terms of performances, songwriting, playing abilities to make this another ideal companion in your collection.
