US power-prog metallists Katagory V’s latest album is one of those time machine albums.

Picture an album that encompasses the feel, atmosphere and, above all, qualities of Queensrÿche’s ‘The Warning’, the first couple of Vicious Rumors albums, as well as Riot’s early work.

‘Hymns of Dissention’ is a cornucopia of catchy choruses and melodies in a way that I haven’t heard performed with such conviction since the mid to late nineties.

Everything sounds perfect; tight, powerful and with a singer who can stand his ground in this genre. Lynn Allers manages to put so much atmosphere and feeling into his voice that he really makes the choruses live – once you’ve been through this album a couple of times, they just stick to your brain.

All that is well, but, sadly, the last three songs of ‘Hymns of Dissention’ are less captivating (two of these bonus tracks). They are a bit darker and less chorus driven, something that doesn’t necessarily suit Katagory V. Even though Allers sounds a lot like Bruce Dickinson on the track No Matter What, it doesn’t save it. The first eight songs are stand out with each their trademarks and high quality and for that Katagory V earn a lot of points, and ‘Hymsn of Dissention’ should in my view just have ended with the heart-felt power ballad Can You Hear Them.

The band clearly knows how to put together a song and there is obviously no reason for them to include material that doesn’t live up to standard of the rest of the otherwise amazing album.

Try it out.