Towers of Gold

Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold

Let's just get this out of the way, Towers of Gold is a definitive masterpiece in the vast realm of epic power metal - no wait...metal in general. In fact, as a fantasy concept album, it transcends genres and the offerings here can solidify its status as a timeless classic and one which franky deserves to be heard by anyone that has ever said or claimed to enjoy music. From the moment the first note strikes in "Through Lands Forgotten", the album weaves an enchanting tapestry that is immediately captivating, and in a genre of many cliches and common tropes, Sacred Outcry shred everything to pieces and ascend above and beyond.

A significant catalyst for the album's transcendence lies in the music itself which is a grand storytelling platform used to catapult the narrative across the sea of metal with outstanding grace. You are pulled into this epic, fast paced power metal trip and what may seem like the usual power metal arrangement, starts to unravel into something much more. The complexity of the arrangements isn't as obvious on first listen, it doesn't smack you in the face with all its bells and whistles, but instead starts revealing itself the more you engage with it. The longer you stay on this wild ride, the more the music takes hold of you and you begin to notice little nuisances that you might have missed originally. Each instrument has a distinct, powerful presence that pulls you into the track and the result is a journey where every nuance is not just heard, but felt, creating an immersive experience akin to some of Blind Guardian's finest work. The guitar solos especially, are very tasteful and melodic, far from the mindless shredding and add an extra highlight to every song.

Now if the music is the ship for this voyage, then the vocalist Daniel Heiman is the captain, as he brings depth and a great emotional resonance to each track, directing you through the narrative with his outrageous vocal prowess and his ludicrous range. And while his expansive range elevates the album to extraordinary heights, it's the control to his delivery that really makes all the difference. The little details of how his voice is able to tell a story and perfectly serve the songwriting, his ability to seamlessly transition between soaring highs and resonant lows, adds a dynamic layer to the record infusing each lyric with the right emotion and makes the overall listening experience a massive gateway for escapism.

While Heiman's performance is flawless across the album, there are still some insane stand-outs, "The Flame Rekindled" is just inhuman, as he reaches boundless heights and propels song to the power metal heavens. "The Voyage", which follows, flows perfectly and keeps the momentum before the mid-tempo epic "Into the Storm" provides an experience that induces goosebumps with its atmosphere. "Symphony of the Night" gently slows things down and emerges as an emotional crescendo, striking a chord deep within the soul...it's impossible not to feel it when you hear the final chorus "cursed are the blind" as it's harmoniously screamed at you. The self-titled epic, a 15-minute opus, "Towers of Gold", Jesus Christ, unfolds as a multifaceted gem, offering a captivating variety that sets it apart from everything else, while at the same time has all the band's calling cards. It serves as the crowning achievement of the album and just leaves you longing for more.

I can't find words to express how absolutely stunning the songwriting is. Without that, none of the above would have manifested into this. The balance between fast paced and slow emotional moments is just impeccable and like I said just gets more special the more you get into it. I don't know if it's a joint effort or one song writer but whatever the formula is, it's absolutely outstanding.

The album is a cinematic odyssey, an immersive audio experience which I can not get enough of. Sacred Outcry inject new life into power metal which sets a standard that future releases should strive to achieve. It's a testament to the band's passion and unyielding confidence. Towers of Gold is an album that transcends the boundaries of power metal and engages not only the ears, but the soul. A work of art that commands respect and is nothing short of a perfect 10/10.

Personal favorites:
- The Flame Rekindled
- The Voyage
- Symphony of the Night
- Towers of Gold
The whole album really, but these tracks are as if they were crafted by Gods.

Though legends tend to emerge from a lofty landscape on the wings of a bard’s melody, it is more the exception than the rule that the bard himself become the object of awe. So too is it with power metal’s many impressive storytellers, as the songs they weave seem so larger than life that one is wont to forget the prowess of the virtuoso fold behind them. But the peculiar case of Hellenic power metal rising star outfit Sacred Outcry is one of intrigue unto itself, owing in no small part due to a rather unique redemption arc that saw the band fold in the midst of the second wave of power metal after crafting only a couple demos, only to come raging back with a completed LP mostly composed 20 years prior in 2020’s Damned For All Time. The impressive blend of heavy-hitting US power metal influences and high octane European flair set this Greek outfit apart from the pack and arguably culminated in the best album of its year, and with 3 years now having past, this mythic powerhouse has returned to up the ante even further with a riveting follow up dubbed Towers Of Gold.

Ironically enough, for most of the membership of this obscure dark horse from the early 2000s the 2020 album that many have come to see as a game-changer was a one-off project to finish what had been started so far back, as now only bassist George Apalodimas remains from the original lineup. But much like his most obvious forerunner Joey Demaio, he has managed to keep the original fire roaring and brought in a whole new collective of highly competent musicians, among them guitarist Steve Lado (who had a guest performance on the debut) and kit destroying drumming virtuoso Defkalion Dimos, forming a core instrumental arrangement to rival that of Manowar. However, the most pivotal recruit of the fold is that of glass-shattering vocal impresario and former Lost Horizon helmsman Daniel Heiman, arguably the most iconic singer to rise from the European power metal scene since Michael Kiske. To say that the sonic potential of this union of craftsmen would be formidable would itself be the understatement of the decade, and at every possible point said potential is fully realized.

At every possible turn, this is an album that takes every existing sword and sorcery trope common to power metal and amplifies them by a factor of 10, bridging the divide between the campiness of the 2nd wave stylings of Blind Guardian and Rhapsody Of Fire with the older, grimier trappings of Omen and Cirith Ungol. Densely orchestrated backdrops adorn melancholy acoustic guitar passages like a small band of adventurers sharing folk tales by the campfire amid an approaching storm, contrasted by a pummeling battery of metallic riffs, beats and an over-the-top vocal performance that would be the envy of every superhuman singer of metal’s past, from Crimson Glory’s Midnight to Manowar’s Eric Adams. To be sure, Daniel Heiman had gone on to front many bands of considerable talent following his exodus from Lost Horizon, but this is the closest he has come to matching his former glory with said band in the years since. It’s just one epic moment after the next, with the time measured in between rounded out by instances of somber balladry that proves no less substantial.

The colossal character of the songwriting on display here is matched only by the sheer vividness of the story being told, as each song possesses multiple titles to further flesh out the otherworldly deeds being chronicled. Following a mournful expositional introduction dubbed “Through Lands Forgotten”, the opening foray at full speed that is “The Flame Rekindled” fires both tubes and underscores the spirit of triumph and rebirth at this album’s heart, and stands as but one of the many high octane power metal anthems with an infectious edge and a thundering attack to adorn this record. One would be remiss not to note the heavy level of Hellenic musical devices at play amid the gallop-happy riffs and wailing vocals, almost as if channeling the old Greek pantheon while also paying homage to the works of Michael Moorcock. The similarly driving metal odes “The Voyage” and “Into The Storm” recap the same mixture of soaring melodies and power-driven metallic flair, as Heiman’s immortal pipes continually bounce between the earth and sky in rapid succession.

Though already having established itself as a veritable force of nature, this album just continues to build and ascend as it progresses. The slower and more balladic “Symphony Of The Night” proves no less riveting than its faster predecessors, though it accomplishes its impact through a gradual increase in intensity and a series of sweet melodic and technical passages courtesy of Lado’s masterful guitar work, often matching Heiman’s impressive vocal feats in terms of auspiciousness. George’s prowess at the bass is given a chance to shine in Manowar-like fashion on the haunting epic number “The Sweet Wine Of Betrayal”, and in fact, the entire song stands as one of the more brilliant partial nods to the longer classic fair of said metal icons, with the guitar work also channeling classic Ross The Boss idioms. “The City Of Stone” treads a similarly mid-paced epic path, though the emphasis largely goes to Heiman’s inhuman vocal gymnastics and Lado’s highly expressive guitar work. Yet it all comes to a head with the gargantuan, 15 minute behemoth of a title anthem “Towers Of Gold”, which sees the entire quartet morph into the four horsemen of the apocalypse and turn in arguably the most astounding performance since Helloween’s “Halloween” more than 30 years prior.

The hype that has chased this album since its release back in May of 2023 has been palpable, yet also only scratches the surface of just what has been accomplished here. In much the same way as Lost Horizon’s much heralded two albums set a standard in the early 2000s that the European power metal scene couldn’t hope to match, this album has raised the bar back to that same height. It’s only fitting that a near unanimous consensus has emerged in the online metal media circuit that this is not only the greatest power metal album to come out of 2023, but arguably one of the best metal albums to grace the scene as a whole in some time. It isn’t an album that sets out to reinvent the wheel, but rather fashions a set of wheels using existing schematics that are so perfectly realized that the chariot they adorn could not help but prevail in every battle that it sees. If there is one power metal album to hear from the prior year, it is this one, and despite the increasingly mercenary character of Daniel Heiman’s career of late, here is to hoping that this is a band that he sticks with for the foreseeable future.

Originally written for Sonic Perspectives (www.sonicperspectives.com)

Towers of Gold was a pretty fuckin’ big deal when it came out. Granted, a lot of it was because of Daniel Heiman being behind the mic on this one, but still, the hype around it sure was something, you know? It was like you had to listen to this, because it was a bigger deal than like ten Grand Finals! The hype naturally died down and people moved on, establishing two camps – people who still genuinely enjoyed the album, and people who saw it as the Daniel Heiman 2023 Special featuring generic power metal. This happened last time with something a couple of years ago… Warrior Path or some shit… but while I was definitely in the latter camp with that album, Sacred Outcry proved themselves to be more than capable musicians who I imagine could stand on their own two feet with an equally talented but far less known vocalist than Daniel Heiman – something which could actually be said of their debut with the Beast in Black vocalist, come to think about it.

The album’s name is about the best way to summarize the album at an objective level. Big, regal, richly-layered power metal, with Heiman’s vocals providing a towering, dignified presence. Whether “The Flame Rekindled” shreds its way through your subconscious, the mid-paced “Into the Storm” comes crashing down with its wailing composition or “Symphony of the Night” serenades you with its soulful vibe, Towers of Gold certainly has those grander power metal moods covered. It’s just a matter of everybody all coming together to create mammoth-sized metal, having Heiman pull off this larger-than-life performance over a colossal cavalcade of epic riffs ever so seamlessly. This especially comes together with the closing number, a near-15-minute titan of a power metal song called “Towers of Gold”. This goes between some mad shredding and huge mid-paced riffs, with these quieter bits where Heiman’s soaring vocals and chanting choirs bring reprieve to the heavier shit, all while building up to a rousing ending – his wails serving as the climax to this towering epic. Well, mostly epic – the build-up is a bit on the long side and a couple of riffs are a bit more on the filler-y end, which do make the song a bit of a watch-checker towards the end. Still, most of the riffs are rather rousing, and Heiman’s pipes are positively electrifying. One part energetic, and one part gargantuan in scope. About 90% of it is exactly what power metal epics should and often do aspire towards.

Being massive is just a part of the battle, however. I mean, do you think the good Virgin Steele albums settled on their colossal scope? Of course not! Sacred Outcry, on the other end, kinda do. Not that they can’t write good melodies here and there – that’s preposterous! You listen to the likes of “Intro the Storm”, “The Sweet Wine of Betrayal” and, of course, “Towers of Gold”, and that shit’s like fuckin’ gangbusters in the kind of melodicism that they are able to compose when given the slower and then epic scale that they are. Heiman’s vocal techniques and Steve’s riffs particularly emphasize the sheer scale through some tried and very fuckin’ true mid-paced melodies that – when combined with chants, choirs and all the good shit – manage to feel big. But songs like “The Flame Rekindled” and “The City of Stone”, which both feel like tried and true fast-paced power metal tracks, as well as the galloping “The Voyage”, all have the pieces to make some real power metal magic, but lack in that one aspect that makes a true power metal classic. As a result, they are entertaining pieces to listen to when they are on, but find themselves a bit more unmemorable beyond a riff or a motif. “The Flame Rekindled” is best remembered for some right shredding, but it sure as shit isn’t anywhere on par with “Heart of Storm” or “Pure” in terms of sheer fucking melodicism. Not even close. Those two were full of emotional highs and lows, they had choruses that were catchier than the common cold, and the hooks were razor fuckin’ sharp! You just don’t quite get them through the more typical power metal affair here. They got some idea of the scale of the better, more slow-paced tracks and they are quite enjoyable to listen to on their own terms – plenty of energy and whatnot – but going from “The Flame Rekindled” to “The Sweet Wine of Revenge” is borderline night and day. From a fairly good power metal song to one that encompasses your entire goddamn being!

If you’re looking for something a bit more conclusive, it’s not as if Sacred Outcry are untalented musicians or anything, because there’s certainly some gumption to their compositional abilities. Daniel Heiman is ultimately the star, but unlike in Heed or Warrior Path, he is with very very capable musicians who are clearly stronger in one area than others. It’s just a bunch of little things, like how the more overtly faster and shreddy power metal tracks have a lot of fire in the riffs but none of the hooks, or how the more mid-paced affair is more reliant upon building up a monolithic structure to carry them, or how the epic at the end has a bit of filler. A bunch of tracks that are all good by any reasonable metric, but varying in quality by many of those same metrics. It’s certainly a standout album in how it excels, but it does sadly fall into many of the same problems that modern power metal does in that there are great tracks within decent to merely good albums. It’s just that Sacred Outcry don’t get it as bad as they could’ve, which – on top of old mate Daniel Heiman, of course – is how Towers of Gold manages to stand amongst the rank and file.

Let me begin with a simple truth, that the current state of the Greek heavy metal scene is really, really exciting. The quality and passion that the local scene exudes reveals two things: On the one hand, that talent and inspiration abound in Greece, and on the other hand, that we are experiencing an explosion of excellent domestic releases. In simpler words, we live the beautiful moment in time that our musicians rise to the occasion and meet our most high expectations.

Sacred Outcry, who floored us on their debut, return with “Towers of Gold” with the ethereal Daniel Heiman -ex-LOST HORIZON- behind the mic, while steely mastermind Giorgos Apalodimas remains the mastermind and main composer of the band. The new members immediately fall into the deep, as George’s vision in the second and difficult Sacred Outcry album, is more complex, more labyrinthine, more epic.

Do we have a winning side here? You bet! “Towers of Gold” displays an aura of classic right from the beginning of the record, with the double punch of “The Flame Rekindled” and “The Voyage”. A crushing wave of masterful, pompous heavy/power metal, taken from the most glorious days of the 90s, drags you on a journey of no return, an adventure without end. Without exaggeration, we experience a similar start to all the masterpieces of the genre, such as Land of the Free, Imaginations from the other side or Symphony of the Enchanted Lands, a rousing musical conceit, nailed directly to the mind.

Be careful, though, because the secret and at the same time the charm of “Towers of Gold” is that it does not reveal all its musical richness right away. On the contrary, it needs its time, as there is a wealth of ideas and synthetic expressions waiting for you to discover. All this can be seen in the main body of the album, that is where the game is on. Especially “Symphony of the Night”, an extremely detailed piece, with a cascading progression and an emotional climax in the chorus, struck a very special chord in my soul, it moved me deeply! Listen to it.

We’ll make another necessary and final stop, at a special moment for Sacred Outcry, the stoppage-time goal, the 15-minute self-titled epic that closes the album. The adventurous composition of “Towers of Gold” deserves to become a reference point of the band, their crowning achievement and a compass for their future, in my humble opinion. Definitely darker and more unruly, it is not afraid to experiment in more progressive forms and bring out the more complex side of the band, which deserves to be explored even more. Heiman’s performance is bone-crushing, plain and simple.

Do you want the blemishes as well, to balance the presentation of the disc? I’m very sorry, but you won’t find much, especially those of you who love this particular idiom. But I challenge the rest, all those who have forgotten the emotion that a serious and well-made heavy/power metal record can cause, to press play.

What we are dealing here is a beautiful album, which deserves to travel far away and enchant again, those who want to close their eyes and be transported to another world, of heroism and adventure.

(original posted on metalinvader.net)

Towers of Gold is great. You can summarize this review that easily. In fact, it’s going to be the album of the year, and not just on my list but on many others as well. But let’s take a closer look at this epic journey by epic Greeks Sacred Outcry. As we roam through lands forgotten, it starts in an old inn, the drunken revelry interrupted by a sagely old man who promises riches to the man who can find the towers of gold. The revelers confer all night, then set sail. The premise is great, but if you’re familiar with Damned For All Time - the band’s first album from 2020 - you’ll realize the story will take a tragic turn.

The story is told not only through Daniel Heiman’s phenomenal vocals, but through the very much alive, very breathing instrumentals. Heiman isn’t the only new face. In fact, only founder and bassist George Apalodimas remains from the first album. Alongside we find guitarist Steve Lado and drummer Defkalion Dimos. Together they make this epic, fantastic tragedy come to life, painted in vivid strokes of epic power metal and traditional heavy metal.

Now in fact, the first album was such a smash I found it implausible the guys would be able to match it. I have now been served the fat dinner that is my own words. In my sheer stupidity I considered the last time Heiman replaced Yannis Papadopoulos in a Greek epic metal band and thought the same would happen here. The fact is that Towers of Gold not only matches, but surpasses not only its predecessor but the vast majority of albums in the genre released recently.

We start off with a couple uplifting metal anthems, the band showing off with some mind numbing antics in The Flame Rekindled with its powerful riffing and phenomenal chorus. Darkness creeps up as the album progresses, coming to a pinnacle in the flawless The Sweet Wine of Betrayal with its DeMaio-esque bass from Apalodimas and creeping atmosphere which culminates with our narrator betraying his crewmates and killing them in their sleep, to find the towers of gold on his own. Still it’s all very atmospheric, melodic; epic.

Heiman. The man’s voice has aged better than a fine wine and the man brings the tragic tale alive in a magic fashion. His work recently with Dimhav was mighty, powerful stuff, and he continues in the same vein here, but maybe even goes a step further; his powerful shouts contrasted by the darker tones of slower The Sweet Wine of Betrayal (which in itself shows his incredible range!) and parts of the title track.

Complimented by stellar musicianship and songwriting, powerful riffing and solos from Lado and a powerful production there’s really nothing about this album that warrants complaint. Nothing at all. It just keeps getting better with each listen, as I discover new nuances and moments of pure dedication turned to magic. Towers of Gold will be loved by fans of traditional European metal, fans of epic American metal and fans of soaring European power metal alike, bridging and marrying the best of each style in a marriage of dark, melodic riffing and powerful vocals. With time, it will be one of the all time greats.

Standout tracks: The whole damn thing, but if I have to pick, right now The Sweet Wine of Betrayal is my fave

Recently I've gushed over the band Sellsword and now I've found another band that plays a similar style of power metal that is epic but entirely molded to the backbone of classic golden era power metal. In fact while Sellsword employs the pachelbellian Helloween-style melodies, this band is a bit more Eastern than Latin which is justified by their country of origin.

For this album they tapped Heiman and wow this maybe his best performance to date. To me this band manages to be even more grand and epic than Lost Horizon, though they had a few classic releases.

To put it fairly though, the ratings might have overrated this. By all means it is a great power metal affair, but it has a few areas of issue for me that wouldn't put it higher. First it is a very grandiose album but it isn't very catchy 100% of the time. There are no choruses that immediately stick in your head. The melodicism is top notch but there's no Eagle Fly Free or anything close on this album; you would need something like that for a power metal album to reach even over a 90. Also, while these guys can shred their asses off they never hit that hypermelodic territory of say a Helloween or Blind Guardian. In both cases if you are looking for such things I would suggest Sellsword.

The album slows down after the second song and sadly fails to really pick up. The first ballad Symphony of the Night while not being Forever and One it is a nice one with a progression into a power ballad throughout. But then after that ballad they go into another slower, longer one and it really bogs down the album at that point. The lack of sustained double bass at parts really brings the album down in terms of power. The album needs more short, catchy melodic tunes to break it up as well.

The good here is that while they trod around in the slower-paced realm the album sounds very epic and fresh. And thankfully by the album's conclusion they have put in a quintessential closing epic. And while again this song probably has a lot more dead air than necessary, the highs of the song totally overblow them. And again while they failed to deliver an ultra-catchy chorus, the different parts are all melodically sound and good on their own.

Overall I struggle to see what the hype is about this. For a power metal album it has a lot of what you would desire, but it also lacks a ton of songwriting prowess compared to the genre's masters. There are no really catchy balls to the wall anthems here which is requisite for a great power metal album. The over the top vocals, shredding, and epicness are entertaining on this album, but for that alone I couldn't give the album higher ranks as a power metal release. I will chalk it up to the Heiman effect, if you get that guy in your band the ratings will be 20% over each time so bands take note!

Before starting this review, I have to make a confession. I will always be interested in anything Daniel Heiman sings in because for me, a very large chunk of Lost Horizon's legendary status is due to his performance. Don't get me wrong, I love their uplifting fate-defying metal and still secretly hope for a 3rd album, but their lack of riffing and their reliance on Heiman to carry their more uneventful songs was a thing so I was always wondering what kind of heights he could reach if he was backed up by more interesting and complex songwriting. Funnily enough, the answer came to me twice almost two decades after Awakening the World (and after a few swing and misses from big D), first was from Dimhav's spectacular The Boreal Flame in 2019 that ironically featured a much more subdued, but still great Heiman and now from a band that out of nowhere had released one of my favorite albums of the past decade. Sacred Outcry has a beautiful, moving melancholy dominating their songwriting and his voice just shines in this lugubrious splendor.

For all the nostalgics out there, there are times that this album draws parallels to the greatest Lost Horizon moments with Heiman tastefully showcasing his supreme talents utterly unleashed, but I wouldn't go out on a limb to say this should have been the missing 3rd LH album, as Sacred Outcry leans much more into the epic (or old-school by today's standards) side of the spectrum. But this is without question the best work Mr. Ethereal Magnanimus has ever been involved in, at the very least after his departure from the cult Swedes, and the best part, his intergalactic performance never overshadows this giant ball of inspiration, it elevates it to the transcendental domain.

Towers Of Gold is a full concept with each song working as a separate chapter in the grim story and with their imposing storytelling ability both through the lyrics and the instrumentation, Sacred Outcry created a grand epic that lasts 55 minutes that takes us through 10 tracks of adventure filled with astounding performances. Like all great concept albums, it relies heavily on the cohesive feeling of the song progression and the emotional buildup, and it felt very refreshing to see lyrics so descriptively written that I didn't need a guidebook to follow the plot. The details on the physical versions are insane, be it the general presentation and the way the booklet is set up, or the content itself, seems like the band really wanted to make my money's worth. To my contentment, the full detailed story is also included in that work of art they call a booklet, a move that further added to the immersion and transformed everything into an almost-spiritual experience. This is an album of massive scope of vision, a complete journey that held me with an iron grip throughout, leading to a spectacular finale that deserves a god-damn standing ovation.

There is a heavy focus on the worldbuilding and the songs work as a vessel to tell the compelling story, a foreboding but undeniably epic musical score. Just listen to Chapter 7, the opener on the B-side on the LP (which replaces the doomy/epic masterpiece CD counterpart) and tell me this isn't one of the most immersive things you ever heard. This emphasis on songwriting and storytelling is exactly what makes this album stand out. The song structure does not follow the typical chorus-oriented recipe of streamlined power metal, I really enjoyed how they opted for a more cinematic approach with the protagonist recounting the steps of his journey and while it clocks at 55 minutes, time just flies by and leaves you wanting for more. Mountainous riffs after riffs, tempo changes from anthemic marches to slow emotional passages and a masterful balance between US/EU power metal, the mosaic presented here is meticulously put together and each song ends up being a highlight on its own.

The mix is addictive, tight and aggressive and you can easily follow everything without ever feeling overwhelmed and trust me, there is a lot going on in these songs and under those layers. The balance is nice and all instruments are firmly placed and executed to nigh-perfection. Speaking of performance, I was particularly blown away by the drummer Defkalion Dimos who gets so creative at times that makes it impossible to even air-drum over the songs, a very uncommon thing in heavy/power metal. Bass is killer and to the point providing a threatening low end and some s(l)ick bass lines, nicely complimenting the drums resulting in a meaty rhythm section. The guitar work is exceptional and I was excited to notice they maintained that riffy approach to everything instead of just putting Heiman on the spotlight and play the chord progressions to compliment his voice. The fantastic solos weave a tapestry of pure arcane magic. I especially enjoyed the short leads and odd solo placements (this multiple solo approach was a very common trait in the 80's US power scene, and it rocks) as it's done very tastefully, nothing feels rushed or forced in.

Standing on the shoulders of giants, Sacred Outcry managed to bridge the glorious past with the present, giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a genre that has lost its way with all the dinosaur pirate schoolgirls (I'm looking at you 90% of Napalm roster) or the half-assed attempts of passing as old-school (I'm looking at you NWOTHM revival) and they offer a very fresh POV on how power/true/epic metal should sound today instead. And while the surprise effect of the "newcomer" is gone, the power remains. Damned For All Time was already pushing the limits of what I was expecting from power metal in the 2020s', but sophomore Towers Of Gold greatly widens this gap. Glorious, dark and epic power metal, grandiose orchestrations, divine melodies, and a constant feeling of adventure paired with a great sense of atmosphere as I was absorbed by Heiman's hundred different emotions and vocal gymnastics, with stellar vocal lines and little nuances that built a massive world for me to explore.

I can't stress the immersion factor enough, I could taste the sweat and feel the exhaustion walking through the desert on The Sweet Wine Of Betrayal, I felt the profound melancholy and grief after The City Of Stone (and I'm sure Bill Tsamis of Warlord fame is smiling down from the heavens) and I honestly had to check outside to see if it's raining during Into The Storm. And that's just 3 random examples, every song is a magical portal to a different ethereal soundscape masterfully described in the lyrics and religiously aligned with the chapter of the story. Hell, the penultimate 15-minute title track alone should be the go-to reference on worldbuilding and cinematic approach to songwriting, that shit is straight out of a movie.

To put it simply, Sacred Outcry has actual god-damn inspiration. Everything on this album is an explosion of passion, ambition, talent and balls-of-steel confidence channeled through peak performance and eloquent storytelling. It sucks you into the tragic story, it constantly builds up towards the epic conclusion and I got so immersed, that after that emotional crescendo of Where Crimson Shadows Dwell, I needed some time to cool off and process the journey I've just gone through.

For all you gamers out there, it sort of feels like you just completed The Last of Us or Breath of the Wild, and you're left there staring at the end credits with that special sense of fulfillment that at the same time makes you sad, because you know it will be a while until something that can measure up to this experience will appear.

Quintessential

The time has come for Sacred Outcry to shock the world again. This band is determined to receive great international recognition, as long as "Towers Of Gold" reaches the ears of the global music community. In 2020, the Greek band's first album "Damned For All Time" materialized the ideas that had been carefully kept for over 15 years in the archives of its creators, until the conditions were mature for them to be presented in all their glory. Having at that time the voice of Yiannis Papadopoulos as the forefront, they were a huge surprise as a first-appearing band, which was introduced to the public with a very high compositional and executive level. Making the connection between the band's two releases, I had described their debut as follows: “Sacred Outcry, having the best vocalist of his generation on record, showed the world how great classic metal and great music in general is played. With talent and soul. An album born from the assimilation of the greats of the past, but with its own character as a result of hard synthetic work. Fans of epic heavy/power metal will be excited. The rest of you must listen to the record, because Greece nowadays can produce such amazing musical works. Absolute and flawless 10/10. Masterpiece." I come today, three years later, to be forced to rate "Towers Of Gold" as a 12 on the scale of 10. Because this is the only way I will be able to convey to the reader that all those elements that made "Damned For All Time" a masterpiece, have evolved and enriched in such a way in "Towers Of Gold", that now we are not just talking about an excellent record, but about a multidimensional and transcendental creation.

Heading into a high-profile signing of the singer, everyone's expectations were raised when it was revealed that the voice of the new record would have been the great Daniel Heiman of the legendary band Lost Horizon. Adding his vocal abilities on top of the instrumental excellence, the quality elevates to extreme heights. Of course, this is credited to the members of Sacred Outcry themselves who had the inspiration and ability to compose and perform 55 minutes of enchanting music, because if there is lack of source talent, no influence alone can give a remarkable result. In addition to the new voice, there were also changes in the positions of the guitarist (Steve Lado) and the drummer (Devkalion Dimos), with bassist Giorgos Apalodimas as constant presence and leader of the band.

Beautiful acoustic intros and interludes are followed by power metal dynamites with storming riffs such as "The Flame Rekindled" and epic heavy metal journeys like "The Voyage". Excellent vocals are accompanied with massive riffs and amazing lead guitars that highlight the Greek musical tradition through the characteristic melody of the solos. Majestic refrains, strong bass and guitar themes follow each other, showing that Sacred Outcry didn't settle for writing typical tracks, but put a lot of music inside the compositions in a completely coherent way. A sweet melancholy emerges from tracks like "Into The Storm" and "Symphony Of The Night". “The Sweet Wine Of Betrayal” is an evocative and commanding 8-minute anthem, a colossal track of epic metal, during which guitars masterfully unfold all the lyricism that connects to the heritage of the genre. This composition bears the Sacred Outcry stamp intact, it is the authentic essence of the band. Awe for the inner strength and emotion it holds. When "The City Of Stone" comes into play, the spirit of Tsamis (Warlord, Lordian Guard) descends to bless the creators of this shocking track, which evokes emotions during every listen. Huge rhythmic galloping and Daniel Heiman more determined than ever, performing unimaginably for the vast majority of singers on the planet. When the guitars play these twin lead themes, we have the absolute peak of Music. Highlight of Art that you wish it would never end. I must also express my huge admiration for the 15-minute self-titled epic “Towers Of Gold”. The vocal lines, the busy guitars, the bass, the piano, the strings, the choir and the awesome themes that are marching in general, open a wonderful world that completely absorbs the listeners into its dark and heroic atmosphere.

Sacred Outcry not only managed again to offer a strong favorite for the title "album of the year", but a masterpiece that deserves the designation "modern classic". A global pinnacle of modern-era metal. Music that deserves to be experienced by every Art lover as the absolute musical fulfillment.

Three years have passed since "Damned for All Time", which "shook" the "stagnant waters" of European power metal and described Sacred Outcry as the "next big thing" of European power metal. With that in mind, "Towers of Gold" is far more “shocking”! It seems to be a forgotten, buried diamond of the golden power metal era and has nothing to envy from all its great masterpieces. It's as if time stopped, as if I stepped into a time machine and returned back to, let’s say, 1998!

While “Damned for All Time” was rightfully highly praised and well received, "Towers of Gold" is a magnum opus that makes it sound poor in comparison. Although I needed some time to get familiar with the material presented here, the album kept giving new things, and I still discover some new hidden layer even after countless spins. It is a monumental mixture of Kamelot's darkest moments and Angra's speedy virtuosity. Rhapsody (of Fire's) orchestral arrangements and flair paired with Blind Guardian's melodic aggression. Mid-early Domine's juggling between epic and power metal, with the ever-present melancholy and melody of Warlord/Lordian Guard and of course, Manowar always there further embellishing the final result. It's so meticulously crafted, that becomes irritatingly flawless. It has all the qualities of the classic albums of the genre, which you can still listen to today with the same fervor. It is made of the same materials, the same quality and most importantly? It's not fake. It comes from the soul of its creators, without being the product of a pretentious compositional process, like the ones we see plaguing the “heavy metal revival” scene these days.

The guitarwork is multilayered and powerful, full of fantastic solos and melodies, and the thunderous drums are very technical, often coloring outside the lines and it's apparent that the changes in the line-up contributed greatly to the creation of this epic. Steve Lado takes over the guitars as well as handling the mixing and mastering, while the super technical Defkalion Dimos partners up with the bassist/composer and band leader George Apalodimas, creating a sturdy rhythm section. Two musicians who come from completely different backgrounds from that of Sacred Outcry, but this exactly is their advantage, the element that makes them stand out inside this fantastic songwriting.

Daniel Heiman who replaces Yannis Papadopoulos, feels like home and finally delivers according to his true potential. Think about what an accomplishment we're talking about here. Back when Lost Horizon released their debut Heiman was described as the "next big thing" of an entire vocal school. But two decades later, he delivers the best performances of his career, because ultimately, it's all about inspiration. Everything stems from and depends on it. The more you identify with a song, the more you will push yourself to perform it to the fullest extent, and Heiman really breathes and lives every word he sings here.

All of the above great performances are of course partnered up with fantastic songwriting, varied and full of twists and turns. We get the full package with fast power metal songs, mid tempo anthems with some chilling sing-along choruses and slow, borderline epic-doom moments that manage to immerse you in the sprawling world that the concept takes place in. And it's a maximum merit, that this sonic splendor is accompanied by this fantastic (figuratively and literally) concept, which "clicks" perfectly onto the music. I haven't read a similar "libretto" in years, with such well-written lyrics and such an interesting story to complement them. Amazing! It's even worth turning off the music and devoting yourself to reading, like reading a novel. And the artwork... Magnificent! So who, or what can surpass Sacred Outcry in the current time period? Nobody and nothing, except their bad self. The band is possessed by an unrealistic compositional trance that is unlikely to abandon them in the future! And because of that, I'm keeping my original answer: No one and nothing.

We often witness endless discussions about albums that are released nowadays, whether they have the potential, the guarantees, to be characterized as "classics" in the future. On the opposite side we, who strongly believe that, have the pleasure of constantly being supplied with new "arrows" in our quiver. "Towers of Gold" is such an arrow, made by Greek craftsmen. Brilliant as if it were in the golden quiver of Ramses II battle chariot, straight as if it were shot from the bow of Philoctetes, the son of Achilles and greatest archer of all times.

Behold the best album of 2023.

Three years after their spectacular debut “Damned for All Time…'', Sacred Outcry return and present us with their second album that if there is any kind of justice in this world, will be hailed as a classic and will be a source of inspiration for newer bands to come. George Apalodimas and company present us with the most complete album of epic power metal in recent memory, an infinite creation of 55 minutes of inspiration that kept giving me chills with each listen. Honestly, I haven't felt like this since Lost Horizon released their historic first album, “Awakening the World”. That album was characterized by some of the best vocals the genre has ever had, in the inhuman performance by the one and only Daniel Heiman, and I was very curious to hear how he would fit Sacred Outcry’s dark epic metal. Well, Heiman is still in a league of his own and this album is his crown jewel.

“Towers of Gold” has all the flair of the masterpieces that stood out in the 53 years of existence of our beloved music. From the very first note to the last second of “Where Crimson Shadows Dwell” the magic of the music is unparalleled. An epic power metal gem that skews more towards the American scene, blending all the magical peaks of Manowar, Warlord, Lost Horizon and Iced Earth's historic first four albums. There is a great variety and a lot to absorb since every composition is widely different, but the album sounds very coherent and continuously builds towards the climax, without ever slowing down or letting us catch our breath. The addition of Steve Lado on guitars as a permanent member is the best thing that could have happened to the band. The guitars are great, full of fantastic riffs, melodies and technical solos and he also did an amazing job mixing and mastering this, with the sound being crystal clear and every instrument clearly audible and powerful. The drummer Defkalion Dimos is also giving the performance of a lifetime here, another prime choice to complete the new line-up.

It's really very difficult for me to pick out a song. As I already mentioned, no two compositions are alike and this is one of the strongest points of the album. You'll hear heavy-power metal anthems like the inimitable ''The Flame Rekindled'' with one of the best choruses I have heard in years and with Heiman performing like no tomorrow. I don't know how high his voice can go, since he sounds limitless, but you don't hear performances like that very often. It's not just his pitch or range, but the gorgeous timbre he puts out. The first single, ''The Voyage'' keeps growing on me to the point of obsession. It has that magic that wins you over with each listen, from Lado's imaginative twin guitars, the gorgeous chorus and Defkalion's incredible drum performance.

There were so many moments that I caught myself laughing while listening. I really have no idea how it’s possible to create epics like ''Into the Storm'' in under 5 minutes, to put so many wonderful things into a composition in such a way that you get goosebumps every second as the song moves forward. Epic mid-tempo compositions, speed metal gems, orchestral interludes that could well be straight out of Conan the Barbarian or Lord of the Rings soundtrack, a fantastic tribute to Manowar, all the above paint the picture of what we find until “The City of Stone” … This is a song that I imagine that when Apalodimas created it, ten druidic witches must have gathered around him dancing. It’s just on another level, a five-minute tribute to Bill Tsamis of Warlord where you can find the best vocal melodies, the most beautiful guitar moments, and a godly solo. The title-track ''Towers Of Gold'' can only be compared to epics like Iced Earth's ''Dantes Inferno'', 15 minutes of magic, slow atmospheric interludes, dark moments, choir parts, everything that characterizes a musical EPOS (in capital letters) until the album comes to its end with the melancholic three-minute epilogue ''Where Crimson Shadows Dwell''.

I really can’t find any flaw on this album so I’ll just add some closing thoughts that trouble me. Since I bought this, I have trouble listening to anything else, as nothing can compare, and I keep coming back for more. “Towers of Gold” set the bar so high, that I am a bit anxious on what the next step for the band will be. How do you follow up this? For now let’s just enjoy this milestone and hope we can catch the band live with Daniel Heiman, opening with “Through Lands Forgotten” and giving us chills. Because these kind of intros, are only found in masterpieces.

I've spent some tedious days travelling for work and browsing videos of a well-known magic show when I came across this line that one of the hosts is apparently credited for, that reads "Sometimes, magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect." This makes all the sense in the world you'd argue, but what does this have to do with an album review?

Well, I can't be sure on how much time Sacred Outcry spent on Towers Of Gold given it's been a little over two years since Damned For All Time was released, but this is magic. I'll have to admit I was a bit skeptical whether the band would be able to replicate this monstrous feeling and overwhelming coherency of Damned For All Time and my faith was further shaken when I noticed that almost everyone from their mind-blowing debut (including Yannis Papadopoulos and his God-tier vocals) were not going to be a part of album No.2. But...as Thorim Oakenshield brazenly once admitted, "I have never been so wrong in my life".

After the immersive acoustic ambience of "Through Lands Forgotten", Sacred Outcry comes firing on all cylinders with an epic-power metal supernova in "The Flame Rekindled" and again (as I had written for their debut) it’s a really unbelievable ride until the very last seconds of the album. The basic influences remain the same more or less, the spirit of US underground legends Warlord often pops up on the guitar work with the chilling lead melodies, the Blind Guardian-y speed/thrash outbreaks, a touch of Crimson Glory's ethereal mysticism, some Triumph of Steel-era Manowar's battle thirst, Kamelot's broody melancholy and the raw arcane power of Lost Horizon (now more relevant than ever, obviously), it's all here. All the above name dropping makes for a great melting pot of influences, but this is only meant to be used as a reference 'cause Sacred Outcry have their unique style of distilling and building upon those ideas.

They have a rare way of channeling and conveying that larger-than-life glorious feeling that was prevalent in the golden age of the genre, and at the same time their signature grim atmosphere of sorrow and sadness is so palpable that it transcends all the power metal clichés. Their strongest suit remains the quality of the songwriting which is stupendous and there is enough variety here to make for two albums, but everything is so tastefully placed that sounds purposed, fresh and effortlessly flowing. What I really love about this band is that they know exactly when an idea is about to overstay its welcome and the songs never stale and always evolve, graciously offering multiple "holy-shit" moments.

The huge sound, courtesy of the band's now new guitar player Steve Lado (who handled the mix & master on their debut as well) lays the foundation for the band to shine, and the mix is thick and undoubtedly "current" with a rumbling low end. He has done an excellent job bringing an organic, lifeful sound that steers away from the pitfalls of an overproduced digital nightmare and everything is nicely balanced, crystal clear and it never gets muddy or noisy, with the orchestra subtly offering some nice breathers to the higher frequencies. I still sometimes think it would be a very interesting experience (experiment?) to see how the band would sound with a full on "old-school" approach by let's say... Arthur Rizk, so it would highlight more its "true epic metal" aspect, but the album sounds fantastic so it's more of a personal "what if" than an actual complaint.

The cover artwork looks absolutely SICK and instantly had me Imagining Things From The Other Side (wink-wink) and it's again the work of the band's mastermind George Apalodimas as is the equally impressive layout. I really feel the need to briefly shift my what's-turning-into-a-fanboy-praise towards him, since I understand he is Tobias Sammet-ing this, providing the bass/orchestrations and from what I gather this time, all songwriting/lyrics duties. Holy fucking shit dude, may the muses never forsake you.

The performance from everyone involved is very impressive, be it the aforementioned new guitarist or that mutant octopus drummer he recruited, all songs are very technical but never sacrifice melody or accessibility, at times reminding me of Angra's finest work in their Temple of Shadows and Angels Cry masterpieces. The guitars are ripping and commanding, full of twin lead melodies, hooks and AMAZING solos, while the rhythm parts are razor-sharp and nicely layered creating a massive wall of sound brimming with A-class riffs. The bass again rocks the album, with a sweet tone and a pristine performance (never shy of dropping the occasional solo), and the drums are pounding and filled with more creative ideas than other bands use in their entire lifespan, maintaining the notion of a tight rhythm section as the group's foundation. There is also that somber orchestral backdrop that amplifies the haunting ambience tenfold, once again beautifully layered in the background, adding to the immersion and cinematic feel and discreetly augmenting the character of each song.

And what I'm guessing most of you have been waiting for...queue drumroll... Daniel Heiman. Simply put, this might be his best work yet. Scratch that, it IS his best work yet. This here is a match made in heaven, Sacred Outcry again manages to fully utilize their tremendous choice behind the mic and while I generally shun comparisons, Heiman gives his most losthorizonlike performance since The Flame To The Ground Beneath, which speaks volumes of the heart and attention put in here. Reborn, with his voice more powerful than ever, he dwarves 99% of power metal singers of today displaying his full range and charisma, belting those stratospheric notes and diving to tremendous depths, triumphantly giving us a long-awaited performance truly worthy of his legendary status.

There are so many things worth highlighting here that a part of me was itching to do a track-by-track overview but as with their debut, I will only briefly touch the colossal 15-minute title track "Towers of Gold" which is the epitome of inspired songwriting and storytelling on display. It's like Blind Guardian had a baby with Crimson Glory and that baby grew up listening to the finest EU/US power metal albums of the 90s and early 00s while hanging out with Tobias Sammet. Oh, and it casually features one of Heiman's best performances in his entire career which at this point is plain ridiculous after already having spent 40 minutes listening to him tearing through the rest of the outstanding songs.

I'm not entirely sure if everything started with the inclusion of that hidden Easter egg on the layout of their debut or all this is reaping the fruit of a twenty-year-old hiatus, but color me impressed, this kind of love and attention shows a scope and artistic vision not easily found today. How much of this was planned? How long did this take to materialize? How on earth do you replace 3/4 of the band and still manage to sound so homogeneous? Shit, I'm babbling - let's wrap things up.

Towers Of Gold is a touchstone of excellence, a flawless fantasy concept album that never fails to deliver in any aspect, not for a single moment. The songwriting is genius, the performance, sound, artwork and presentation are top tier, but the TRUE power of this album is the Homeric sense of journey from start to finish. The song progression and the story behind them paint a scenery of titanic proportions and the immersion accomplished is unparalleled. It feels like you're watching a huge epic movie or reading your favorite book with each chapter showcased in the engrossing lyrics, dressed with this wonderful, w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l soundtrack of epic power metal. In an era of Spotify instant gratification and 3-minute pop songs dressed in their little metal outfits, Sacred Outcry rekindle the flame and present a flawless masterpiece that glaringly towers over (pun intended) power metal of today.

Originally written for Metalbite.com