ISENGARD come from Sweden, play Power Metal and their music is exactly like that the cover implies. The choruses have a high ear candy factor and you can instantly sing along. “Crownless Majesty”, whose original is from 2001, is liveable because of tempo variations and its diversity. There’s absolutely no innovation but that’s surely not expected. But many passages sound like Melodic Metal and the musicians are really great. The vocals sound a bit nasal but they are lower than other high pitched vocals of other genre acts.

Songs like “Shadow Of Light” or the trumpet (!) ennobled title track have an epic charming and are the highlights of a “good” release.

Who likes everything between BLIND GUARDIAN and HAMMERFALL should watch out for ISENGARD. (Online September 4, 2004)