Band:	Victorius
Album:	Space Ninjas From Hell
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	January 2020

01. Tale Of The Sunbladers
02. Ninjas Unite
03. Supersonic Samurai
04. Evil Wizard Wushu Master
05. Nippon Knights
06. Shuriken Showdown
07. Wasabi Warmachine
08. Wrath Of The Dragongod
09. Astral Assassin Shark Attack
10. Space Ninjas From Hell
11. Cosmic Space Commando Base
12. Shinobi Strike 3000

Yeah, this album is cheesier than a Swiss raclette... Victorius went full overboard with cheesy lyrics and themes in Space Ninjas From Hell. But let's be honest, that's exactly what you would expect from an album with that title and cover art. But the question is, did Victorius make good cheese?

Actually, let's start with the lyrics. If you aren't a fan of cheeky B-movie style themes, then this record is not something for you. It reminds me of a videogame called Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon in a lot of ways. Yes, it's over the top and yes, it's silly, but it's a lot of fun too.

As far as production goes, I have to say that it's excellent. It's bombastic and epic. Guitars have a clean and stylized sound to them. The kind you expect from a power metal album. I did wish they would be a bit more raw in terms of sound from time to time (like on their Dreamchaser record). Compare most of the songs on this album to songs like "Blood Alliance" and "Where Ravens Fly" and you'll notice the difference. Now, I do get why they went with the stylized style because it fits with the aesthetic of the album. The drums and vocals are spot on in the mix. However, the bass? It's a wall of sound that gets completely lost in the mix. Unfortunate. The cyber and oriental elements in there do add a nice touch to this record's mix. They complement the songs very well. It succeeds in giving you that 80s sci-fi B-movie vibe.

The performance of the band is excellent. Vocals, drums, guitars are definitely on point. Again, it's unfortunate that the bass gets lost in the mix because I'm sure it's performed really well too. This is some nicely performed power metal. As simple as that, nothing more to add.

Overall, I didn't get a wow-effect with most of the songs. However, I still found it an enjoyable listen throughout. Nothing that I really disliked. There's one track that stood out though, and yes, it's the one with the Annoying Orange skit... don't care for the intro (I don't love it nor hate it) but the song itself is great.

You know... I kind of like these kinds of efforts. Especially when we're talking about lyrical themes. Often you find bands trying to convey a serious message with very cheesy sounding lyrics. This on the other hand embraces the cheesiness of the lyrics and brings a fun B-movie style story to the table. Silly and fun go hand in hand, and this record is a perfect example of that.

I have some friends who compare power metal to fast food. Something easily consumable. And though there are most certainly exceptions, they do have a point. But there's a whole range of fast food. From disgusting to tasty and in every form of complexity. So, what's Space Ninjas From Hell then? It's not sophisticated. But damn, it's tasty as hell!