Bloodorn – Let the Fury Rise (2024)

Out of nowhere, came the Power Metal band Bloodorn, who we could also call a small scale supergroup. Nils Courbaron on guitars and Michael Brush behind the drums are both members of Sirenia. Francesco Ferraro is the Freedom Call bassist and the puzzle is completed with vocalist Mike Livas of Prydain and Silent Winter. All are very experienced, so their debut Let the Fury Rise is an outcome that steps upon sturdy foundations. 

Do not linger too much on the bands the members come from, as they can be misleading. In reality it feels like Nils gathered everyone, told them to get wild & crazy and they forgot where the brakes are. The album is fast and heavy… a lot! There is something of Beast in Black, 3 Inches of Blood, modern Helstar and a pinch of Sabaton. 

No need to say the usual “how restless the drums are”, “how guitars slay”, because they do, but that’s what you naturally expect with such a description. Instead I will stay on the aspect that really steals the show. Livas is like he was contained in Hell and after many years broke free to wreak havoc! When the discussion goes to his higher notes, there is something superhuman about his performance and the album consists mainly of those. I was reminded of James Rivera, Halford, Papadopoulos and even Crimson Glory’s late singer Midnight!

On to smaller details, I liked the discreet use of keyboards and how they were sometimes mixed lower than the guitars. That way they enriched the final result with some epic flavor, without taking away from its aggression or making it sound too bloated. What established the album as great instead of just charming for me, is that its sound direction is not a showcase to gather attention. Many times have I heard a banger single, before the tracklist dissolves to uninteresting mid tempo moments and ballads. But not here! The bombastic choruses that stay loyal to the Power Metal genre, are just the cherry on top. 

I do not want to drag the review with pointless praise or over analysis. Bloodorn do not play university level Progressive Metal after all. They play what I wanted to hear all those years! A HEAVY record that stays within the limits of Power Metal, that overflows with screams and high vocals, while maintaining a high level of instrumentation and avoiding fillers with grace. So simple, yet so rare nowadays. 

90/100

Pavlos Pavlakis

On behalf of Metal Domain