Vexillum – When Good Men Go To War
Release Date: 23rd April 2021
Label: Scarlet Records
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Genre: Power Metal, Fantasy Metal, Symphonic Metal.
FFO: Stratovarius, Blind Guardian, Skid Row, The Proclaimers.
Review By: David Oberlin
When Good Men Go To War is a great name for an album and, in the current political climate, is also a good question to just put out there. Finlands’ Vexillum, similar in sentiment to ancient Romes’ vexillum but more symbolic, are rocking a fantastic epic filled with anthemic choruses, powerful verses and only bloody bagpipes (although normalised in the mix and purely synthetic.) The fourth album in ten plus years is classic power metal gone wild; A cheese wheel of time.
The compositions on WGMGTW are spectacularly realised and vivid. Having the oomph factor of both highly conductive metal riffs and the transmission of folk-y rhythms. Utilised excellently to evoke intense feelings of urgency. Which make nodding your head and tapping your feet an imperative action. And, although the band are from Finland they make a good case for a hookter teuchter bastard kin of Skid Row and Stratovarius with this album.
Ignoring the baggy pipes for a moment, they are heard enough throughout the entire album that you would be forgiven for thinking Del Amitri got back together and had decided on a new direction– and language, the guitar work is immensely charismatic. With the lead dancing on harps to bridge the synth work and vocals with emphatic energy. Overall, the metal elements on the album are executed beautifully. With the more folk oriented factors just as impressive in their own right.
All the songs on here have their own merits. It is pretty much a perfect album in that regard. However, there is one aspect of this album that is not quite as proud as the song writing and that is the warm production. It gives the tone a median blob of mid-to-low range that muddies the sound. It could really benefit from a brighter tone that would give the solos and vocals more room to shine. That is a minor niggle though, and one that is easily remedied.
Both fun and inspirational, When Good Men Go To War is a call to good times. Where Vexillum have invested themselves in delivering a wonderful full-length that contains pure joy made through melodic interpretation. There is not a lot more to say about this album other than this is one to read and repeat.
(4 / 5)
