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Metal Division

    
       
       
       
     
             
Mystic Prophecy are a heavy metal band from Germany formed in 2000, releasing their debut album in 2001. One of Germany's most consistent metal bands over the last twenty years, the band have released nine more studio albums, with their eleventh album 'Metal Division' a 2020 release. Portraying a much heavier feel than previous albums, Mystic Prophecy are set to celebrate their twentieth anniversary with an early contender for Album Of The Year.    
             
Teetering on the edge of the American style of power metal, German metallers Mystic Prophecy have served up a delicious delight of some of the heaviest power metal you're likely to hear all year. The new album kicks off in explosive style with the bombastic and anthemic title song 'Metal Division'. Hitting harder then a wrecking ball, 'Metal Division' stands tall and very proud alongside masters of anthemic metal Sabaton, Powerwolf, HammerFall, and (legends) Manowar. And from this moment on the album just gets better and better... 'Eye To Eye' picks up the pace and thunders on at a speed that shakes the ground, toppling buildings as it tears past. The chorus break is a catchy and melodic sing a long able affair, involuntarily making listeners join in by foot tapping, head nodding or raising clenched fists high in the air. The mighty foot stomp 'Hail To The King' is gonna crush skulls and snap bones as it savagely marches on. 'Here Comes The Winter' offers more of the same, albeit with a much more melodic edge. Mystic Prophecy appear to be masters at the infectious sing a long chorus, and load the album with them - definitely a winning formulae in my book.    
             
Jack hammer style riffing sets 'Curse Of The Slayer' on its way. The bruising barrage is gonna hurt, slamming into the senses with immense force. The pounding dished out by Mystic Prophecy is overwhelming, and will send lesser mortals running for cover. Hardened stoic metal heads (like yours truly) are gonna stand tall and scream "is that all you got". And (obviously) it isn't. 'Dracula' enters the fray and stomps heavily, terrorising the neighbourhood like a heavy metal Godzilla. Wreaking just as much havoc as the enormous, destructive king of the monsters, 'Dracula' is a devastating anthem of pure delight. An increase in power, pace and energy sees 'Together We Fall' gallop on furiously, adopting the famous "foot on the monitor" style of traditional heavy metal.    
             
Whoa, what a belter 'Die With The Hammer' is. Opening with a tension filled intro, the pace is taken straight from the thrash metal genre, and sees 'Die With The Hammer' show a terrifying turn of speed that would out pace a jet fighter. A glorious opportunity to head bang furiously and stretch those neck muscles. 'Reincarnation' returns the album to the stonking, heavy foot stomping style. Anthemic and brazen in its delivery, 'Reincarnation' stamps hard and is probably, actually, the hardest stamping anthem the album has to offer. The most melodic song on the album is the hard rocking 'Mirror Of A Broken Heart'. This is the nearest Mystic Prophecy actually get to the power metal style of their home country, and what a glorious rocker it is. The album ends with the monumentally heavy 'Victory Is Mine', swaying from mid paced to high paced in an instant. Accompanied by the most aggression fuelled vocal performance on the album, 'Victory Is Mine' is a prophetic statement of intent, for as far as Album Of The Year is concerned, Mystic Prophecy could well be saying "victory is mine" at the end of the year.    
             
Overall, heavy hitting and thunderous anthems from start to finish, 'Metal Division' is an album of breathless exhilaration.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
Other Reviews    
             

           
           
Hellriot      
           
"a barnstorming barrage of infectious, power driven heavy metal full of energy and oomph" Read Review      
     
     
     
           
             
             
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