Axenstar are the gods of melodic power metal and just seem to get better and better with each release. With catchy songs, punchy guitar hooks and spine tingling keyboard lines, Axenstar’s latest effort is by far one of the best melodic power metal releases of this year. Aftermath is an excellent insight into a world of melody, brilliant musicianship and just how Axenstar like to do things. No nonsense, don’t hold back, killer power metal, guaranteed to begging for more and more!

Compared to previous Axenstar release, Aftermath takes a more charging and heavier approach to the music without compromising the soft, clean, but never the less powerful vocals on front man Magnus Winterwild. When you are hit with tracks like the astonishing intro song ‘Dogs of War’, the mosh pit anthem ‘Tears of the Sun’ and the catchiest track on the album ‘Aftermath’ – you get more than just extremely fast tapping guitar solos and ridiculously high screaming, you are presented with huge, masculine, slightly progressive songs where the structure, as simple as it may be, makes the songs all the more enjoyable and easy to follower, meaning every single song on Aftermath is ideal for one of their live set; just on the fact that they are so catchy and will get any crowd moving.

The musicianship on this new album is superb and with Aftermath you can see that Axenstar have definitely improved since their previous 2006 effort The Final Requiem. They have clearly thought what would make a memorable tune, a great melody lines, driving rhythm section, and it has paid off for them, for when you plug in your earphones to ‘Agony’ or ‘Dead Kingdom’, the listener is instantly hooked to the crunchy guitar riff that comes out of nowhere only to further it’s awesomeness when the full barrage of instruments and vocals merges into it.

Aftermath was written to keep the listener on edge, making them wonder at what will be coming up next. There are 11 all killer no filler classic power metal tracks on this album that fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle, and when the album never has a rotten moment on it, should be jumping up at your face telling you that Axenstar are THE GODS, not one of the gods, but THE GODS of melodic power metal when it comes to writing and performing such a great album.

Axenstar are on tour in September and with their best album to date at their finger tips; let’s hope they drop some of these outstanding songs in their live set, because one thing is for sure.... People are going to love every fucking second of it![