Iron Mask - Black as Death (2011)

If you looking for new release this week, Iron Mask's newest album , their forth, Black as Death maybe tempting your eyes to pick it up. That's because their cover album is great, and not coincidence the material put inside is great as well.

This is my first time listening to Iron Mask (and mainly due to that excellent cover album design), but soon I found out the guitarist sounds familiar, that is Dushan Petrossi. Petrossi is also guitarist in another band called Magic Kingdom. As in many metal personalities in Europe, they tend to polygami-ed many bands for their musical aspiration seems not enough just to put under one flag.

When I read the past music of Iron Mask, they should sounds neo-classical metal. But Black as Death maybe sounds too power metal and too heavy to expect something like earlier Yngwie Malsmsteen material. Especially with two ex-Yngwie vocalist on the album, the mentioning of Yngwie is justified. Because not only Mark Boal and Goran Edman (guest vocal on track "Magic Sky Requiem"), Yngwie ex-keyboardist also present, Mats Olausson.

After the opener, Black as Death is the real opening track with heavy and powerful "Black.... as Death". But then there is Broken Hero with epic intro and mid tempo semi ballad power track. Feel the Fire is the one more closer with neo classical guitar shred intro and its harmonic minor ala Yngwie. Genghis Khan is an obvious oriental scale track, the intro utilizing something Chinese Erhu (one string violin) and Pipa (guitar). Excellent track and a rare one in metal.

God Punished, I Kill open with Gregorian chant, and I can mention all the rest tracks of the album, it seem every tracks is great. So I will just concluded a give the damn album as 9/10 points.

Iron Mask - Black as Death 2011
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01. From Light Into The Dark 02. Black As Death 03. Broken Hero 04. Feel The Fire 05. Genghis Khan 06. God Punishes, I Kill 07. Rebel Kid 08. Blizzard Of Doom 09. The Absence 10. Magic Sky Requiem 11. Nosferatu 12. When All Braves Fall

Line-up Mark Boals - lead vocals Dushan Petrossi - all guitars, orchestral samples Vassili Moltchanov - bass Mats Olausson - keyboards Ramy Ali - drums Oliver Hartmann - backing vocals and choirs Roma Siadletski - extreme vocals Goetz "Valhalla Jr." Mohr - guest vocals on 13 Goran Edman - guest vocals

the winning album cover graphic design , design by Genzoman