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The Darkside We Wanna Hide

    
       
       
       
     
             
Gloria Perpetua are a heavy/power metal band from Brazil formed in 2023 releasing the bands debut album 'The Darkside We Wanna Hide' in 2024...    
             
...featuring bass player/composer Daniel Fuchshuber, guitarists Rogerio Byron and Bruno Luiz, and drummer/keyboard player/vocalist Raphael Dantas along with guest musicians Timo Tolkki (ex Stratovarius), Vitor Veiga (Aquaria, Endless), Luis Mariutti (Empiric, Sinistra, ex Angra), Joao Noleto (Vocifer), Guilherme Hirose (TraumeR, ex NorthTale), Christian Passos (Wizards), Vitor Rodrigues (Native Blood, ex Tribal Scream, ex Voodoopriest, ex Torture Squad), and Marcelo Kalunga. Phew what a line-up - blending seasoned musicians with up and coming new ones! The bands debut album consists of ten songs across forty eight minutes that sees - or rather hears the band deliver a brand of heavy come power metal in the vein of bands such as Blind Guardian, Iced Earth and Helloween - 'The Darkness We Wanna Ride' opening with the bouncy one minute instrumental 'Let There Be Darkness'. Bringing an air of anticipation to the fore, the instrumental segues into the album opener 'Beyond The Darkness Portal', a mid paced mid tempo thunderstorm pouring outta the album, Gloria Perpetua setting a very heavy, yet enticing atmosphere for listeners as the album marches on with the faster paced 'Have You Forsaken The Cross'.    
             
And the European power metal influence can be heard here too, although the band do retain a little of the thunder from the previous song, mixing it with a little of the abrasive hustle and bustle nature of heavy metal. Yet among all the bands hard hitting intentions, there is a melodious streak running through the album to keep a tight hold on listeners attentions - a hold which the band are very reluctant to release, 'Mothers Of Jerusalem' picking up the pace to race off at the fastest speed heard so far! The level of head bang ability has risen considerably too, the worldwide mosh pits waking up with every metaller rocking their head back and forth! This is one song that's very easy to head bang to, the iconic "metal gallop" in full swing as the Brazilian metal outfit storm on with the punchy 'The Angels Are Calling'.    
             
The punchiest song heard so far, 'The Angels Are Calling' is power metal driven with a glorious old school guitar tone - the kinda tone synonymous with the legendary NWOBHM evolution during the eighties, Gloria Perpetua taking inspiration from all areas of the metal spectrum as well as delving deep into heavy metal history! But of course it's the present we live in right now, although there has been many an occasion I've wanted to travel back in time to the good old days of the nineteen eighties - but sadly those times are long gone, yet the musical inspiration, evolution and revolution during that decade is still influencing bands today! Bands like Gloria Perpetua, who slam the accelerator pedal to the fucking floor to scorch the earth with the blistering pace of 'The Rape Of Gaia' - by far and away the fastest song heard so far, displaying a mighty Helloween sound and feel. The band maybe over five and a half thousand miles away from mainland Europe and the (obvious) home of European power metal, but boy do they have the sound matched - 'The Architect' maintaining the albums recent upturn in speed. Albeit with gear and tempo changes to reflect a little of the progressive style of heavy metal, the band continuing to broaden their horizons to new widths - widths that see the band thunder stomp into view with 'The Key Of Life'.    
             
But not just a thunder stomp, 'The Key Of Life' portraying the metal gallop too, along with an infectious level higher than anywhere else on the album, Gloria Perpetua maintaining their strong hold on listeners attentions. Ever since 'The Darkness We Wanna Hide' began, the pull of the album has been stronger than gravity, keeping everyone hooked to everything the band has to offer - 'The Way Of A Warrior' exploding into life with a tonne of energy! The band are electrifying here, the pace, power and purpose at its most intense ever, 'The Way Of A Warrior' standing proudly at the heaviest end of the power metal genre, banging heads harder than at any other time on the album! And it appears the band have saved the heaviest two songs 'til the end - 'The Sick Cycle Of Death' joining 'The Way Of A Warrior' as the albums most barnstorming double barrelled assault! And the howling, snarling vocals here are kinda gut wrenching, the band veering off into death metal territory for the final hurrah!    
             
Overall, Gloria Perpetua roam all over metal territory to deliver a power driven and highly varied album of heavy metal.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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