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Carved In Stone

      
         
         
         
     
             
Widow are a power metal band from the USA formed in 2000 releasing their debut album in 2003. Three more albums followed over the next decade with the bands fifth album, 'Carved In Stone' released in 2016.    
             
An atmospheric and widdly intro breathes life into the new album as Widow continue their power metal assault with the rip roaring and thunderous 'Burning Star'. Chugging and buzzing relentlessly, 'Burning Star' will have your head banging and feet tapping as its infectious groove and punchy melodic hard rock thump takes over your senses. The title song 'Carved In Stone' is catchy hard rock thunder, that pounds away endlessly and with its catchy sing a long anthemic style chorus will definitely be a crowd favourite in a live arena. Galloping rhythms and buzzing guitars sees 'Another Time And Place' pulsate as it chugs along. Widow may be an American band, but plain for all to hear is the influence that the NWOBHM and German power metal genres have had on this band. Also, the speed metal genre gets a nod too with the blistering 'Wisdom'. High on energy and urgency, 'Wisdom' sets a scorching path as it rages on. Get those fists in the air and bang your heads.    
             
Then all of a sudden, the brakes are hit...hard. And 'Time On Your Side' ambles in, all acoustics and edge of the blade atmosphere. Lighters out for this one, as it can only be described as a ballad. Superb guitar work and an excellent vocal display emitting copious amounts of emotion and passion. Chunky riffs and thunderous rhythms has 'Borrowed Time' shaking the foundations. Punchy and hard hitting, 'Borrowed Time' is one of those mighty and majestic mid tempo foot stomps that fellow countrymen and metal legends Manowar are famous for. And talking of mighty and majestic, 'And We Are One' is a foot stomp of the hardest order. Heavy guitars and a mid tempo pace, 'And We Are One' is heavy enough to crack walls and raze buildings to the ground. As mentioned previously, there is a strong NWOBHM influence here, with traits of British stalwarts Judas Priest and Iron Maiden to be heard too. 'Anomaly' is a thunderous melodic hard rock romp that would not be out of place in the Judas Priest back catalogue.    
             
'Live By The Flame' swings between slow and strained ballad territory and thumping power metal. It also has one of the best guitar solos on the album and i wasn't sure whether to wave my hands in the air or punch the air with my fists ... so i did both! Let's all hail the return of speed metal by head banging hard to 'Of The Blood We Bind'. Setting a furious and frenetic pace, 'Of The Blood We Bind' is a head bangers dream, with blistering guitars and raging rhythms. Big riffing and punchy, 'Nighttime Turn' bludgeons its way through the airways. Buzzing, chopping guitars leads the way as the hard hitting, melodic hard rock rhythms keeps the song alive and in your face. Bringing the album to a close is the hard rocker 'Let It Burn'. Infectious grooves and catchy hooks sees 'Let It Burn' rumble along at a mid tempo pace. Widow have delivered a very good album of power and speed metal with strong hints of the evolutionary NWOBHM movement.    
             
Overall, catchy and infectious power metal with a hard hitting melodic edge.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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