Greyhawk return with their third album that marks the debut of their new singer Anthony Corso. The album features eleven tracks and is set for release on February 13th 2026. If I could really describe the album with one word, it would be “underwhelming”. This album being my first encounter with their music, I was looking for something authentic. Personally, I find it disheartening to hear a band mimic their predecessors so closely and unfortunately this one was no exception. Greyhawk is a technically proficient, but ultimately hollow tribute to the gods of power metal. While the band displays undeniable musical capability, the album suffers from a severe identity crisis that makes for a repetitive and derivative listening experience. The band’s influences are worn so prominently on their sleeves that it’s hard to find the actual artist underneath. The vocals are a dead ringer for Michael Kiske’s Helloween era blended with heavy Ronnie James Dio vocal runs. While the singer boasts an impressive range particularly in the lows on “Endless Race”, the songwriting often feels like a checklist of Swedish and German metal tropes. Tracks like “Words of Power” and “Chosen” lean so heavily into Malmsteen-esque neoclassical shredding and Swedish synth progressions that they lose any sense of originality. Meanwhile, there are some flashes of genuine potential. For instance, the title track “Warriors of Greyhawk” stands out as the most cohesive moment on the record. It’s groovy, features a unique vocal approach and hints at what the band could achieve if they stepped out of their idols’ shadows. Similarly, “Eternal Quest” provides the most memorable chorus of the lot and “Take a Stand” opens with a solid intro. However, these highlights are buried under generic filler tracks lacking any differentiation or artistic soul. The mix is notably bizarre and while the blazing rhythms and dual-solo melodies are expressive, the arrangements often feel like a carbon copy of “Kill the King”-era Rainbow and many tracks are so heavily influenced that they feel like AI-generated tributes rather than actual songs. The final verdict is that the band has the means but lacks the message. They have the chops, the range and the speed, but until they differentiate their sound and move away from being a high-level cover act for the power metal legacies, they will remain stuck in the shadow of the greats. Nevertheless, I think they have the potential to produce something great if they really find their own true voice and I’m looking forward to that.
♦ 4/10
Panos Niko
