Blind Guardian - Valhalla

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Anthem of Valour

Anthem of Valour (Live)

Legend of the Free

Legend of the Free (Live)

The Way is the Aim

The Way is the Aim (Live)

Knights of Thunder (Reforge Edition)

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Russian symphonic metal troupe Imperial Age is back in January 2018 with a new album – The Legacy Of Atlantis.  The current incarnation of Imperial Age boasts an impressive line-up of gifted musicians with a solid metal look.  This, their third full-length release, was quickly followed by the band embarking on an extensive tour of Europe with metal legends Therion.

The album The Legacy Of Atlantis is devised as a metal opera.  The story set in an alternative history of planet earth - somewhat akin to Jon Schaffer’s ‘Something Wicked’ mythos - featuring ancient advanced civilizations, hyper-evolved superhuman biologies, and global cataclysms.  The cover art depicts the protagonist in all his glory with the fantasy world setting framed behind.  This is great metal fare, especially for fans of concept albums!

The album opens with “The Awakening” followed by the title track “The Legacy of Atlantis” – two of the strongest tracks on the album.  “The Awakening” is a solid march that a barrels over the listener with a display of power and poise.  The song “The Legacy Of Atlantis” employs a deft, engaging countermelody on the guitar, gives a killer catchy verse, and great melody throughout.  Another album highlight, the track “Domini Canes” is a lofty anthem that features guest vocals from Therion’s Thomas Vikstrom.  While the album meanders a little toward the end, there are no bad tracks on this release, and the fantastic story carries the listener through any rough patches.  Imperial Age may be at their best with mid-tempo rockers such as “Island’s Of Time”, a song featuring solid riffing that allows space for their triple-vocal attack to do its damage.  

And the singers on this album are impressive, with Alexander "Aor" Osipov giving the male operatic vocals with power befitting a warrior race.  Anna Moiseeva’s classic highs are inspiring, aided by Jane Odintsova’s mezzo soprano, providing a range of emotion and color to the lyrics.  The vocal mix is superb here – even in the chorus and choral portions, you can still hear each distinct voice lending itself to the total sound.

Those looking for virtuoso metal guitar might be disappointed with The Legacy Of Atlantis, as the musicians in Imperial Age keep it simple, with tasteful solos that do their work and then get out of the way.  The music as a whole – never a single instrumentalist – is always the focus.  Imperial Age are able to create a big, epic sound without the orchestral/symphonic elements ever overwhelming the listener.  Indeed, while this is a must-have for symphonic metal enthusiasts, certainly fans of more straightforward European power metal will find much to like here as well.

I give this album a rating of 8 ½ out of ten.  The Legacy Of Atlantis is solid, modern metal – heavy and melodic with capable musicianship, talented singers, and excellent composition.

The Way is the Aim (Live)

Imperial Age

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