Hearing Stormwarrior makes the sun shine and puts a big smile on my face. The big difference between this new one and the two earlier albums is that there are some slower tracks. On the previous ones they played all the songs on high speed. This album is certainly their most mature and has the best written songs so far.

Also a difference is that this time Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray) didn't produce it. They recorded it in their own studio,  Piet Sielck mixed it and the final mastering was done by Tommy Hansen at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark. That is not the only link the band has with Denmark. Their new bassplayer Yenz Leonhardt is Danish too. Besides Stormwarrior, the busy guy also plays the strings in Iron Saviour, Savage Circus and Geisha. His roots go back far in the Danish metalscene. The older metalfans might know him from the band Brats. This Punk-group transformed into a metalband, which was later the basement for Mercyful Fate. Some ideas on 'Melissa' are even from his hand.

After the intro, "Heading Northe" starts at full speed in good old Gamma Ray -style. The song "The Holy Cross" has some guitar parts that remind me of early Iron Maiden. But if the band wants it or not, with Lars Ramcke on vocals the band still has a lot in common with their big brother GR. His vocals often sounds similar to Kai Hansen's. Just listen to "Metal Legacy" and you know what I mean. With the epic song "The Revenge of Asa Lande" we even hear some new ideas and if they try to get a more own style on their next album, they might get rid of the label of being GR's little brother (if they want that anyway?). 

If you eat powe rmetal for breakfast and don't mind the lack of originality then follow me....... Into the Battle .....Heading Northe!