Immortal Flame

Branding themselves as "Minnesota power metal" Dawn of Valor is, without a doubt, one of the finest (and so far, one of the only) power metal bands to come out of a state known for Paul Bunyan and snow. They're a band known for its constant lineup changes, but that won't stop this '80s-style power metal band from soldiering on to produce a full-length album. This EP is proof that this band is an unstoppable force that has already taken the Twin Cities by storm and is poised to take on the world.

The lead vocalist, Jaden Adair, combined with the excellent guitar work of John Leibel and Andrew Johnson, puts a lot of energy and power into the music and captures the spirit of the warriors of which he sings about. His voice is a very manly baritone and has a lot of weight to it, whereas other power metal bands would prefer their vocalists to be more falsetto. I think that baritone voice resembles that of a majestic warrior, which makes this band stand out from the rest. The guitarists are also worthy of mention. Their galloping riffs on "Lutetium" are a powerful force which mirrors that of the music of the '80s that inspired them.

Of course, since they are Minnesotans, they just HAD to write a song about vikings (when I say "vikings", I'm talking about the warriors that populated Northern Europe, not the crappy football team). "Valkyrie Sky", with its tremendous dual guitar harmonic hook, creates the atmosphere of warriors ready to fight in an epic battle. It is a song that shows the band's Minnesota pride and unleashes the band's full potential. The lyrics and Adair's voice create an amazing tone about a warrior who is yearning for glory.

The only thing I have to complain about this album is that it's short. I think they could pump out more power metal than just three songs with an intro. On the other hand, though, three songs, plus a prologue might be all that one band needs to make an impression on the metal community before creating a full-length. With this EP, the members of Dawn of Valor have shown themselves worthy of challenging the world with their masterful work and it brings a terrific power metal sound to the Land of 10,000 Lakes.