Unholy Cross

Ah, good old Bloodbound. I've always enjoyed this band, and thought 2009's Tabula Rasa was a superb album, their finest to date and one of my highlights of the year. Between 2009 and 2011 things changed in the Bloodbound camp. Urban breed was out of the picture (again) and it seems they decided to take a step back to the sounds of Nosferatu and Book of the Dead. On first impressions I was sorely disappointed, largely because I had no idea Urban breed had left (I'll admit it, I'm a fanboy). However I'll also be the first to admit that I was premature in my condemnation of the album, because really this is quite good.

Unholy Cross is an undoubtedly solid album, packed full of power metal anthems all of a similarly great quality. Every song boasts a massive chorus, which can easily send your fist into the air and have you singing aloud. I still feel it's a shame they regressed, however once I let the notion go I found myself having more and more fun with each spin. That is what I feel is the strongest point of Unholy Cross; this is straight ahead no bullshit power metal which fans of bands such as Nocturnal Rites, Iron Fire or Hammerfall are going to have a great time with. Their new vocalist Patrick Johansson (Dawn of Silence) has a good powerful voice, and he fits the songs well although I can't help feeling they should have called Michael Bormann back in for the job.

With quality tracks such as "Moria", "Together We Fight", "Message From Hell" or the awesome "Drop the Bomb" you really can't argue. Unholy Cross won't change the world but it's an album fans of the genre should pick up without hesitation, particularly if you're a fan of the more mid-paced power metal anthems the Swedes seem to do so well. Recommended.

Originally written for http://www.metalcrypt.com