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Ghost Town
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Ghost Town |
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| Narnia are a melodic power metal band from Sweden founded in 1996 by guitarist CJ Grimmark and vocalist Christian Liljegren (Audiovision, Christian Liljegren (solo), DivineFire, Flames Of Fire, Golden Resurrection, The Waymaker). Across a near three decade career, the band have released nine albums, emerging from Sweden during the nineties along with the likes of Evergrey, HammerFall, and In Flames, establishing themselves as one of Europe's best melodic metal bands. 'Ghost Town' is Narnia's ninth album and was released in 2023. | ||||||
| Featuring ten songs across forty seven minutes, the new album showcases the bands varied approach to metal. I say varied because there are elements of power, progressive, and traditional heavy metal blended into the bands root melodic sound - 'Rebel' launching the album with an intro that reminds me a little of the theme tune to the eighties American military drama Airwolf! And as teenager during the eighties Airwolf was a favourite TV show of mine - but back to the present day, and Narnia, 'Ghost Town', 'Rebel', a heavy hitting opener that grabs your attention and never lets go. The band effortlessly turning heads, are in fine form... | ||||||
| ...the album marching on with the more bustling 'Thief', and a moodier, more meaner feel than 'Rebel'. Yet Narnia still display a very strong melodious intent, especially when 'Thief' picks up the energy level and parades a head held high attitude. The blending of styles is seamless, the band masters of melodic metal, 'Hold On' moving forth with a hard rocking power driven foot stomping and infectious err, foot stomp! And I defy anyone to not be tapping their feet right now - 'Hold On' that forceful it can tap your feet and nod your head without you even knowing it! Great stuff from the Swedish outfit. With an injection of pace, 'Glory Daze' thunders forward with a glorious gallop echoing the sound and feel of "foot on the monitor" traditional heavy metal. And the chorus is so sing a long-able too - a cracking in concert moment for sure. As long as the band perform this one live! | ||||||
| Keeping with the feel of traditional metal, Narnia stride on with the mellowest song so far - 'Decension' a hymn-like swagger of progressive tendencies and old school majesty! The chorus - like all other choruses on offer - is a highly melodious affair, and so sing-able too! The title song 'Ghost Town' is the heaviest song heard so far, thundering on at a head bang-able friendly pace. with an infectious level that's just rocketed off the charts! The phenomenally melodious intent of the band is incredible, unbroken and unbowed from song to song. 'Arise' returns the heavy hitting stomp from earlier - but with added oomph! The ground is gonna be shaking and walls crumbling as 'Arise' strides on by. So grab hold of something sturdy to steady yourself - it's gonna get rocky! | ||||||
| And the power driven stomp returns too - more emphatic and dynamic in the shape of 'Modern Day Pharisees'. You can just feel the reined in power as the band stifle an all out gallop in favour of a mid paced stroll. Narnia enter the realms of balladry with 'Out Of The Silence' and a more soulful vocal delivery than heard anywhere else on the album - and all with a bold hymn-like nature too! And mid song, there is a chilling rendition of the Lords Prayer, narrated by Saviour Machine frontman Eric Clayton - with the atmosphere dropping to freezing as 'Out Of The Silence' plays out! The albums final hurrah 'Wake Up Call' roars into life, rocketing forth with an immense amount of energy, adopting a more sedate pace as it gets going - the bands progressive leanings taking over. The blistering pace does return though, the band changing gears a few more times before the song ends. | ||||||
| Overall, a heavy hitting hard rocking album of melodic metal with sky high levels of energy and infectiousness. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Reviewed for Metal Gods TV | ||||||
| Review is also featured at Metal-Roos | ||||||
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