Rising Out Of The Ashes (Drakkar~2002)
No matter how much metal one seeks out, some bands and albums manage to slip under the radar. For some reason, this release is my first exposure to Warlord. Prior to checking out this new CD, all I knew was Warlord was a legendary band making a comeback album with the help of Hammerfall vocalist Joacim Cans. If this effort is any indication of the bandīs past work, then itīs easy to see why their comeback was highly anticipated. "Rising Out Of The Ashes" is real, classy heavy metal that is beautifully crafted and executed. A strong production allows each instrument to be heard clearly. The vocals fit well with the traditional metal style, but the performances of William Tsamis (guitar, bass, keyboards) and Mark Zonder (drums) stand out the most. I love Zonderīs work, which is powerful yet creative and spices up each track with a little something different. Itīs always nice to discover another heavy metal gem.