Might & Power

My first impression just looking at this artwork had me thinking a death metal painting had collided with a traditional metal logo. Would the music reflect that? Not at all. The Swiss outfit Megaton Sword veer on the epic side of the traditional metal flavors, which has been a slow development since their first EP. While not changing much in style from before, Might & Power is the band’s most concise and compelling work to date. Don’t take that lightly, because both the prior full-length and the EP hold a pretty hot flame.

As with many bands that take this approach, part of the magic lies in letting the epic coats sit nicely atop several different songwriting approaches. Here there’s a pretty even blend between upbeat, hopeful attitudes, choppy crunches, and full-on catchy vocals. Better are the numbers that push all of that into one song. “Iron Plains” is almost obvious with its aim for being one of the standout numbers, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t incredible. Cool emotion in the chorus, the speedier gallops, a slow melting center, and stellar buildup into blast beats seal this banger’s fate as the perfect epic metal tune.

For the most part, I find myself drawn to the more emotion-driven tracks. “Raikaszi” comes to mind, injecting somber feelings that pair well with the softer vocal style. The same could be said about closer “Babe Eternal” with its piano intro being a neat topping. Surprisingly, sections that doom out are more common than you’d think. This is the one area that I think Megaton Sword could still clean up a little in regards to delivery, but one can’t deny the fun found in the bassy rhythms and raspy vocals that coat “Power,” or its counterpart “Might.” I just think its energy was channeled a little better in the galloping “All Wicked Schemes Unite.”

Might & Power took a few spins for me to really appreciate all of the layers, and how nicely they’re placed, but the patience proved to be worth it. Megaton Sword have a lot going on in their brand of metal, and while I feel there’s the tiniest bit of room to improve into something perfect, this is a very strong effort that sits nicely within the context of their discography. If nothing else, I can appreciate how no areas felt drawn out or unnecessary. Easily a worthwhile spin for anybody that digs the traditional style with epic flavors sided with doom and emotion.

Originally written for Sleeping Village

Swiss epic heavy metal warriors Megaton Sword are back with their 2nd album. Let us ride into battle once more!

Pounding drums set us off with a warlike mood, readying us for battle as scolding guitars jump into life with a warm tone that feels veritably classic. The bass lines are equally well-recorded with a huge presence as the mighty blows of the sword strike from the off. I love it when a record just starts, rather than making us sit through same lame time-wasting. Those uniquely excellent vocals that Megaton Sword have divided opinion with hit just as powerfully as ever, for me these are one of the main attractions of the band. Harkening back to the likes of Manilla Road with timelessly epic heavy metal. The songwriting is also no letdown, with the storytelling methods and brilliant musicianship entwining to magnificent effect. There are plenty of haunting moments that send chills down the spine before pummelling us with pure metallic glory like hammer upon an anvil of sublime sound. The distinctive guitar work really comes through, especially in the solos. Even though Megaton Sword play classic heavy metal, they do so in a way that really feels like it stands out as their own. “Might & Power” is a befitting title and a promise delivered from the start.

In classic heavy metal, dynamics are obviously a huge portion of how powerful a band sounds. So when you can go from soaring leads to a more introspective doomy passage and then blast at high tempos without feeling jarring or confused about your identity, you are onto something special. These titans have so much to offer, while being a band who can easily give you goosebumps, can just as effectively raise fists to pound with a force so visceral it shakes the heavens. The power in the drums and bass yield such an impenetrable rhythm section that it is some feat that the leads and vocals can pierce them so effectively. This is obviously a band who work extremely closely to craft such potent tracks and master their individual crafts without detracting from their bandmates. Such an execution in tandem with a marvellous production and truly fantastical artwork makes for such an enchanting experience to behold on all frontiers.

Although this is an intoxicatingly fierce record, there is emotional complexity too. There are moments which really hit the heart with a hot iron and especially in the vocal department can really bend the mood to something more sombre temporarily before thrusting us back into the conquest for glorious spirits to soar once more. A treasure trove of the things that I think makes heavy metal such a life-force for so many people, Megaton Sword have tapped into the very conscious of what the world needed and crafted a soundtrack to make something that feels so genuinely impassioned and heartfelt yet beautifully savage at the same time. It feels like they have held firm to every aspect of their identity without compromise and yet continued to elevate and grow to new heights in a natural manner that is trustworthy for us fans who do not want to lose them to the characterless mass of people-pleasing, low-effort bands. The sheer power of this record is difficult to put into words, but I think upon hearing it you will either feel the fire or will not. Those who do, will want to bask in its radiant glow for all time.

Another masterwork from one of the best heavy metal bands spawned in recent years. After the EP and debut album, it was clear that Megaton Sword were going to be an unforgettable name in the genre and this new opus only confirms and consolidates that opinion further. The word epic only begins to cover it, you must experience true “Might & Power” for yourself.

Written for www.nattskog.wordpress.com

When someone asks what Switzerland is known for, the answer rarely is “for it’s NWOTHM scene”. Megaton Sword has been steadily trying to change that, but their second output still needs some extra oomph to sway me, so my answer will still be “spectacular scenery, chocolate, melted cheese in a pot and Celtic Frost”.

In “Might & Power”, the band continues to build up on all the elements that were present on their previous album “Blood Hails Steel – Steel Hails Fire”, with a few good hits and a few expected misses. Still borrowing heavily from the old school epic metal sound (both from the giants of the genre and their contemporaries) the band presents an interesting offering of eight songs, with an LP loving length of 40 minutes.

Special mention to the fantastic cover artwork of Paolo Girardi and his eerie art-style, although I must admit I sort of missed the grand epic landscapes of Adam Burke. Being a sucker for these things though, I like to imagine that the alien monstrosity depicted here is imprisoned deep within the catacombs of a citadel in Niralet, or crawling through a creepy mausoleum under the castle walls and the band has made an excellent work with their concept and visuals making the immersion easier.

The first pleasant surprise I had from this album, was the tremendous improvement on the vocals. Uzzy’s rough and weird vocals was my breaking point on their debut, but he sounds much more convincing and “in control” of his quirks here. Obviously, he is no Rob Halford, so the potential note spectrum is still limited, but the songwriting and vocal lines compliment him way better than their previous effort. The guitar work is again excellent and both Chris the Axe and Seth Angel bring their best game (minus the occasional solo mishaps) and manage to create an interesting atmosphere for Uzzy to lead, and the rhythm section of Simon the Sorcerer and Dan Thundersteel (God I love these names) is sturdy and convincing. All this is amplified by a very nice mix that manages to sound old school, but not outdated.

There are some great moments in “Might & Power”, especially the opener duo of “The Raving Light of Day” that packs a good punch akin to the old Manowar days, and the fantastic “Iron Plains”, which has to be my favourite track on the album. There are also some notable fist-raising moments going forward, more in line with the newer bands of the genre (Eternal Champion or Gatekeeper coming to mind), and the songwriting discreetly shifts focus as the album progresses. While I imagine they were trying to offer something outside the lines, it doesn’t always work and at some points feels directionless and breaks the established immersion of the first half. I was well buying into the ”true” heavy metal vibe of the first four songs, but I feel they missed a great opportunity to really shine, topping it all with the closing track “Babe Eternal” which sounds out of place on this album.

So, Megaton Sword once again leave me conflicted. On one hand the progress is undeniable and I enjoyed this album far more than their debut, but I expected more. It feels like the band hit a plateau and I’m still not entirely convinced they can do much better than this. My expectations were high because I believed they could present something truly inspired, despite my lower rating then, but after “Might & Power” I’m not too certain. In all honesty, it is a good album. Could have it been great? Quite possibly. There are moments that everything falls into place and there is a wow factor, but those moments are not enough to bring them to the A-Tier. If you are a fan of epic heavy metal and the whole NWOTHM movement, give this a chance and I’m sure you will find tons of stuff to enjoy. I’m just not sure it will turn your world upside down.