#6 - Top of 2016

Freedom Call - Master of Light (SPV)

Freedom Call have been a known quantity for a while now in the power metal circuit. Always "quite good", but more often than not, not really "exceptional". The band here attempts and succeeds in subverting that stereotype by creating one of the best (and more optimistic) power metal albums of 2016, Master of Light. From the get go to the end of this album, you can feel the positive energy of the band oozing through the tracks. There is no unifying concept to the album, except for an undying love for positive power metal music and what it truly represents. Despite that, the album is by no means an anachronism. It is an effort truly representative of the band's state of being in 2016 and a contemporary unification of power metal with more "modern" metal elements which are not oppressive throughout the album but instead are carefully dispersed here and there, serving as subtle reminders of freshness. There is not much more to delve into here, as all the tracks are (more or less) in the same hyper-energetic and super-positive vein, but this should not dissuade the listener. Freedom Call prove here that they have matured in a very positive manner and have evolved their music while maintaining a romantic approach to their sound. Awesome album and a great getaway point to the career of Freedom Call!


95/100

Below is the music video for "METAL IS FOR EVERYONE"