REXORIA – Imperial Dawn
Release Date: 3rd February 2023
Label: Black Lodge
Bandcamp
Genre: Power Metal, Heavy Metal.
FFO: Amaranthe, Beast in Black, Amberian Dawn, Battle Beast.
Review By: Mark Waight
If you need to lift yourself out of the dark, cold and gloomy days of the winter months of 2023 then Imperial Dawn by REXORIA is just the tonic you need. It is a high tempo, upbeat power metal fest guaranteed to raise both your spirits and your fists as you sing along to top-notch metal anthems. Imperial Dawn by REXORIA is the type of music that gigs absolutely thrive on, the crowd will be buzzing, then rocking away and baying for more after hearing a couple of these banging tunes.
Hailing from Sweden, Rexoria is Frida Ohlin (vocals), Martin Gustavsson (drums), Cristofer Svensson (guitar), Jonas Gustavsson (bass) with Edwin Plemberg of Metalite joining them on Keyboards. The album is mixed by Stefen Helleblad (Within Temptation) and mastered by Thomas “Plec” Johansson.
Paradigm is the high-speed opening number, which instantly draws you in with its intensity and catchy keyboard backdrop. Very anthemic in tone and a perfect choice to open up the album with it’s fist-pumping riffs and storming drums. The New Revolution keeps the energy coming and is a wonderful sing-along number with its layered choral vocals and obligatory short guitar solo.
Devious Desire is a slightly slower, almost folky number, by REXORIA standards, which serves to highlight Frida Ohlin’s gloriously raspy rock vocals. Rage and Madness clearly demonstrates a much harder edge to REXORIA. It has a wickedly mean bass riff and proper old school heavy metal air about it. This one is sure to have fans going crazy at live shows!
Next up is Fading Rose, a superpower ballad with a crowd-pleasing chorus and the hint of an 80s style guitar riff, which doesn’t quite happen. Light up the Sky ratchets up the tempo once again with some quick-fire, hard-hitting drumming that delivers true pace and intensity to the proceedings. Horizon opens with a beautiful vocal passage before things heat up, cumulating with a super sharp finish. Track eight, Set me on Fire, does exactly what it says on the tin, by delivering a tight band performance to really set the torches burning.
Crushing for More is the penultimate track on the album. The pace is hot, the music is cool, and you will be left wanting more of those crunching riffs and soaring vocals! Closing number Enchanted Island is a fitting finale to this superb album, as now elevated and elated, a trip to an enchanted island could be just what the doctor ordered.
There is nothing not to like on Imperial Dawn by REXORIA, every track is more than capable of standing alone in its own right. “All killer, no filler” as they say in the business. It’s metal for the masses! If ABBA were a metal band they would be REXORIA, as they appeal to everyone across all ages and genres and everyone will secretly love their music whether they like to admit it or not! Great stuff, guys!
(4 / 5)
