Holy Grail - Times of Pride And Peril (2016)

I have waited three long years for Holy Grail to unveil their follow up to the amazing album known as "Ride The Void". These guys have really been a personal favourite of mine, mixing traditional speed metal with more modern power, creating a intoxicating serum that I must inject directly through my ears. Naturally, my expectations for their third album, entitled "Times of Pride And Peril", were quite big, but I still kept my cool, because I knew that they would not be able to match the diversity and greatness in "Ride The Void", no matter how hard they tried.

In many aspects, "Times of Pride And Peril" is a natural follow up to "Ride The Void". The band has come to the point where they have developed a own sound that is fully recognizable, and that sound is of course highlighted a lot in this album. The soaring vocals of James-Paul Luna, the twin guitars shredding from time to time, and the mix of old and new all makes Holy Grail to what they are today, and I cannot state enough that I am loving it. My god, these guys have really grown up to the band I hoped they would become.

But the thing that separates the two albums from each other is what most would call maturity. "Times of Pride And Peril" is a more controlled album, maintaining a set mode throughout most of the album that certainly feels more mature. However, I would call this a lack of passion, not that the band is not passionate at what they are doing, but it feels like they are holding back for reasons unknown. The biggest evidence of this is in the guitar work. While Eli Santana and Alex Lee does shred in this album, they are not displaying their most impressive work of their career. Oh well, there are still some tasty bits of riffs and solos in it to salvage.

As for the song quality, it is not as exciting as I would have hoped for. Most of the songs are pretty safe, good on the ears and has a fair share of enjoyment in them, but nothing that gets me excited. And the diversity is not that great either. But there are some songs that does kick ass. "Those Who Will Remain" is a slower song, but makes up for it with a great drive, heavy riffing, and a cool chorus. "Descent Into The Maelstrom" and "Crystal King" both have that speed and attack that I look for in a Holy Grail song, while the ender "Black Lotus" is a song I did not expect at all. A nine minute piece about how you can be immortal if you take care of the environment. A diverse track that shows almost all of the band's sides (even the metalcore part, something I could live without).

"Times of Pride And Peril" is, in its whole, a pretty okay album. It is not a album that draws the biggest of attention, but it is still there, doing its job. Compared to its two brothers, "Crisis In Utopia" and "Ride The Void", it stands pretty clear that it places in the bottom, but to be honest, I really do not mind that at all. Every band has its dips and hopefully this is just one of those "middle-of-the-road" albums. It is decent and enjoyable, but I would be surprised if I still remembered it three years later.

Songs worthy of recognition: Black Lotus, Those Who Will Remain, Descent Into The Maelstrom

Rating: 6,5/10 Psychomachias

Holy Grail - Ride The Void (2013)

Since the release of the EP "Improper Burial" in 2009, I have been a real fan boy over Holy Grail. Their mix of traditional heavy metal, power and modern influences is just astonishing. And even though their first full-length album "Crisis In Utopia" did not deliver all the way I was still excited about this new release entitled "Ride The Void", a album that the band proclaimed to be darker and more metal influenced. Already a pretty good sign that this album would be great.

Now two songs from "Ride The Void" have already been presented and lyric videos have been made for both of them. The songs are the title track and "Dark Passenger". Out of the two I would say that "Dark Passenger" is the worse of the two because the riff is way too simple and it feels like the band is not unleashing their full potential here. Still a hooky song that I approve of even though too many listening sessions can make this song boring. The title track is a completely different story. The song is modern, epic and has great riffing and singing (James-Paul Luna is really on top this time around). So the band definitely set the bar high for themselves before the release of the album.

The album itself starts out with a pretty short instrumental piece called "Archeus" that eventually leads us to the first real song "Bestia Triumphans", A good and innovative song that has that mix of traditional and modern heavy metal that made Holy Grail to who they are today. And the solo is long but it does not become good until the second half of it. The first half is pretty sluggish. We also have "Bleeding Stone", a song that is showing the same weaknesses as many songs in "Crisis In Utopia" did. It is groovy and so but it feels like the band is holding something back or leaving out a part that should be in. If it is speed, a riff or something else I do not know but it is not a feeling that I want to have when I listen to music. I want to feel that the band went 100%  into every song, riff, beat and word. Thankfully, this is the only song I feel that the band only went around 80% on. The rest of the songs have a fully committed Holy Grail.

Out of the remaining songs there is 4 that is keeping my interest at its peak. "Too Decayed To Wait" is the power charger with its double bass and fast riffing but it still got some melody which is nice. "Crosswinds" is the most modern song in the album and it is a great song with fantastic melody and overall superb instrumental qualities. A song that you can not sit down to while you are listening. "Take It To The Grave" is probably the grooviest song on the album and with that beat it is impossible not to rock your head back and forth. And the last chorus of that song always gives me goosebumps. Just plainly awesome. Lastly we have "Rains of Sorrow", a smooth and soothing song that ends the album. A song that shows that the band also can handle the calmer version of metal and it also bring some variation to the album.

"Ride The Void" was everything that I hoped to be. True f***ing heavy metal without any complications or cheesiness. It is metal all the way baby. Holy Grail have made a fantastic album with power, melodies and catchy choruses that makes you just stand up and make a mosh pit. Besides from "Bleeding Stone" there is no song that is particularly weak. And even though "Ride The Void" is not completely perfect it is sure that it will be a album that I will bang my head to for a long time.

Songs worthy of recognition: Ride The Void, Crosswinds, Bestia Triumphans, Take It To The Grave, Rains of Sorrow

Rating: 9,5/10 Dark Passengers