Power Paladin comes in a time that European power metal is in a … strange phase – on the one hand, most of the bands of the genre are in decay, and on the other hand, great albums are released by legendary euro power metal bands such as Helloween. In this weird situation, this newcomer band from Iceland is offering us its debut album and shakes the whole world of power metal upside down. The sextet from Reykjavík is influenced by the big ones of the ‘80s and the ‘90s (Iron Maiden, Helloween, Blind Guardian, Running Wild, Stratovarius etc.) and continues the glory of the newer bands of the genre (Edguy, Sonata Arctica, Rhapsody, Hammerfall etc.). “With The Magic of Windfyre Steel” is a fine collection of top class songs, which will make every fan smile and start head-banging, it is a new triumph of fast, melodic, pompous and hymnal power metal! A new, brave and inspired band is rising up from the shadows, with its first rate compositions, having all the right qualifications to reach out for the glory. All of a sudden, a band with an amazing musicianship and a wonderful songwriting ability is standing out and departs for the valley of the kings! Power Paladin’s melodies are super-beautiful, the refrains anthemic, the riffs killer! With this debut work, I think that Power Paladin has completed the puzzle – stability and endurance are what this new band needs. We don’t know what the future keeps, but if these newcomers continue what they have started with “With The Magic of Windfyre Steel”, we should expect even greater things from them! The first step – so melodramatic, so seraphic, so elegiac – has been made! The door to the euro-power heaven is open again! Behold, Power Paladin!
♦ 8.5/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
