Road to Victory

Amazingly, the Dutch traditional heavy metal mainstay still slaying well into 2020 by the name of Black Knight sounds like a kick-ass and crotch jabbing - as well as none too wooden - cross between Britain's cheerfully melodic Monument and the gritter, leather, motorcycle and chains disposition so inclement to Screaming For Vengeance/Point of Entry era Judas Priest. At any rate, it's the Amsterdam quintet's tertiary event, an octadic, three-quarter hour session of highly acclimatizing (i.e. accessible) entries, starting with hot rocking "Road to Victory" proper and running the epic gauntlet down to fine, riveting finale.

Lord Volture & Thorium front man David Marcelis' quaintly anodyne mid-range sounds a lot like a tempered-with-reason Bruce Dickinson, albeit with said iconic British accent so inherent to London's Monument. In fact, one could be forgiven for interpreting this mercurially arranged and sinuously melodic (chef d') oeuvre for latter's potential fourth album. While the rhythm section apparently coasts along for the ride, with its workman-like prattle and stout, stentorian bass lines, the dual guitars dazzle by way of hyper-kinetic, Steve Vai/Joe Satriani-styled leads, oft interposed with classical sounding, highly Iron Maiden-esque harmonies.

Although Black Knight eschews filler and/or broadband claptrap - as in, lame, tumescent intros or sappy, pointless ballads at risk of upending a rock solid performance from start to finish - the progressively waxing and waning, seven minute long "Crossing The Rubicon" comes closest to poignant, valedictory tour-de-force. Hence, it's the slowest, perhaps most humdrum, track, yet fits well within the CD's comprehensive confines. Things end on a definite high note with "The One To Blame", thanks to its juiced step-up, along similar tautly ripping lines as entrance. Generally, the guitar riffs/bass lines hit the spot, somewhat in a Monument-meets-Dio-meets-Iron Maiden/Judas Priest manner sure to steer us down the ole...Road To Victory. (A la gloire, quoi!)