Bloodbound – Tales From The North (AFM Records)

I think it’s a pretty safe statement to make that you know exactly what you are going to get from those Swedish power metal behemoths Bloodbound! Just like Italy’s Rhapsody Of Fire, Bloodbound is a band of epic and gargantuan proportions that bludgeons with the power of a sledgehammer to the brain and always delight in rendering you senseless with their full-on power metal onslaught. It is obviously a system that works as Tales From The North is now album number 10 in a discography packed to the rafters with the OTT that always thrills and delight and results in a fist pumping and headbanging orgy of metal!

The band began life way back in 2004 having being formed by Fredrik Bergh and Tomas Olsson and it was clear from the very beginning that they had a format and, aside from a few musical tweaks over the years, they have stuck with the Nordic, Viking mythology and tales of Northern Gods and epic tales of derring-do and this can be readily seen just by reading the track names which really tells you everything you really need to know!

The names in the band change but the all-encompassing power metal attack remains with the most impressive Patrik Selleby on vocals, Tomas Olsson on lead and Henrik Olsson on rhythm guitar, Fredrik Bergh on keyboards, Anders Broman on bass and the incredibly powerful Daniel Hansfeldt on thunderous drums. Selleby screams and soars in the best Halford/Dickinson traditions and the two Olssons lay down swathes of thrilling guitars with the symphonic/orchestral keyboards tempering the metal edge to give the band their trademark sound. The storylines are epic and the harmonies and choruses equally so despite coming at you fast and furious and the music remains symphonic despite the real metal credentials displayed.

The sound is born out of bands like Helloween, Priest and Freedom Call and also includes the bombastic, crazy nature of Alestorm, Gloryhammer and Trick Or Treat to make this an album and band that, once heard, is never forgotten. The album also includes a live CD although this was not made available for preview and no information on the listing was advised either so no comments can be made but I’m sure we all know what it is going to sound like.