ALBUM REVIEW: League Of The Serpent – Saint Deamon
Warm up your vocal cords and raise your fists, we’re charging into the melodic, riff-driven power metal of League Of The Serpent. SAINT DEAMON have returned with their latest album since 2019’s Ghost and they’re here to deliver a highly polished, earworm-inducing 11 tracks. Those familiar with the style of quartet will know that they like to produce a refined, clean edge to their sound. Anyone new to the band yet familiar with the power metal genre will find no trouble in latching onto the hooks and melodies on offer with this new release.
A soft choral introduction swiftly gives way to crunching guitars, a heavyweight rhythm section and a soaring vocal melody. The wall of sound is ticking all the power metal boxes in one fell swoop. It’s a high octane, catchy introduction that is hard to ignore and certainly delivers an excellent set up for the album. At Break Of Dawn is a prime example of a band in their creative groove; the quartet are firing on all cylinders from the get go.
To emphasise this point, there are more standout moments than low points to be found on the album. Tracks like the title track, Gates Of Paradise and Load Your Cannons all crackle with a high-octane energy with soaring melodies and anthemic vocal edges. Load Your Cannons gallops at a breakneck pace from the off and really hammers home the power metal credentials of SAINT DEAMON. Elsewhere, The Final Flight and Raise Hell put the rhythm section front and centre with colossal sounding drums linking up with a thunderous bassline to lead the tracks while the vocals soar in the mix and guitar riffs accentuate the heavy hitting rhythms. It’s a more evolved sound in terms of the rhythmic drive for SAINT DEAMON and is certainly used to great effect here.
Heaven To Heart comes off as a slightly predictable ballad number. Its soft acoustic intro takes some of the wind out of the sails on what is up to this point a rollicking high-flying album. When the rest of the band fully kicks in with a heavy and speedy wall of sound it does help to lift the dynamic as intended, but it is a bit obvious in its construction and execution. That’s not to say that it is done badly, far from it, the musicianship is excellent throughout, however, they’re not breaking new ground and for that reason it takes some of the shine off.
While it might, at times, come across as a bit paint by numbers with regards to the genre stylistics, League Of The Serpent is still excellent fun. It sits well within the framework of the genre and is a welcome addition to the SAINT DEAMON back catalogue. In overall terms of evolution, there’s more emphasis on their rhythm section and generating a heavier driving force while still retaining powerful and catchy melodies. Certainly a worthy album highlight for power metal in 2023.
Rating: 7/10
League Of The Serpent is set for release on April 21st via AFM Records.
Like SAINT DEAMON on Facebook.