ALBUM REVIEW: Second To None – Dream Tröll

Following on from the success of their debut record, The Knight Of Rebellion, heavy metallers DREAM TRÖLL have returned with their new album Second To None. The British group, who hail from Leeds, have all but changed the lineup from their debut record two years ago, with guitarist Paul Carter as the only surviving member of the band from the debut album.

Kicking things off in the new album is Steel Winged Warrior, which begins with a classic sounding heavy opening riff, and the tempo starts off at a solid pace to break the ice. Once the vocals kick in the tempo slows and the riffs are nowhere near as heavy, but the bass takes prominence throughout the majority to maintain the sound. There’s an air of FOO FIGHTERS in this opening track, both in terms of the instrumental sound as well as the vocal style of front man Paul Walsh, and is a good way to raise the curtain.

While the first track has a more generic feel to it, the second track I Will Not Die Today certainly has more of a power metal vibe; this is the first time you hear the keyboards feature in the record, and they are at the forefront from start to finish. Again the intro starts off rather heavy and the riffs are lightning quick and complex, but as soon as the vocals begin there is much more of a gentle rhythm to the track and it becomes much lighter all of a sudden.

The recipe doesn’t remain the same though for the duration of the record, however, changing up in The Lawmaker – where the previous two started heavy and then changed after the intro, this one is the complete opposite and is a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. The skull crushing solos keep you headbanging all the way through, and will certainly be a fantastic song to hear live. There are only eight songs on the record, but each one implements a different element of the metal spectrum and from a range of different sub-genres – thrash, power metal and classic heavy metal just to name a few.

It’s never easy for a band to continue in the same fashion when there’s so many changes to the line-up, especially so early on in their career, but DREAM TRÖLL have done well to pick up where the band left off from their debut record. With Second To None, there is plenty of potential for the band to continue to grow; they’ve taken steps towards establishing their own identity, but the constant stylistic changes between the tracks does give the impression that DREAM TRÖLL are still experimenting with what works and finding their sound.

Rating: 6/10

Second To None is set for release July 12th via self release. 

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