DRAKKAR - When Lightning Strikes

Drakkar is a very interesting band, whose origin is from Italy, motherland of Rhapsody Of Fire or Labyrinth, and their story starts back in the mid 90's. This album is their fourth so far, following 2002 "Razorblade God", with the release of only one EP at 2007. Nevertheless, the band is back, and they seem as if they want to catch up with the lost time, creating something that combines both the aggression and melody of their early years but in a more modern and updated version. Their music is catchy, groovy enough and has equal doses of Epic and Melodic Power Metal, and bears all the trademarks of the band. They are quite talented so expect good musicianship, and the unique way that most Italian bands of this genre manage to incorporate tons of melodies, and aggressive rhythm section is also present here. Songs full of catchy parts, memorable refrains and a catchy rhythm, that make you sing along and tap your feet or bang your head along are the majority here. There's some variety on the songs, although they move on very specific forms, and they contain some nice ideas, that the band tries to explore to the maximum. Often enough they succeed and few times leave you the feeling that things could have been done in a different way, but without making the result less good or interesting. The story of the album is a concept, talking about a man living through the centuries, used by aliens to record the history of human nation, to decide if our race is to live or to die. Huge keyboard melodies, a tight rhythm section, great hooks and vocals, and a pompous and Epic feeling, are the main characteristics here, and the cliches that the band doesn't hesitate to use are only making things even better. Personal favorite is "Revenge is Done", but the whole album is equally enjoyable.

9/10