Band:	Cryonic Temple
Album:	Blood, Guts And Glory
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	October 27, 2003
A review by:	Malcolm

01. Morphine Dreams (Intro)
02. Mercenaries Of Metal
03. Inquisition
04. Swords And Diamonds
05. Thunder And Lightning
06. The Story Of The Sword
07. Long Live The Warriors
08. Triumph Of Steel
09. The Midas Touch (Samurai)
10. Through The Skies
11. Metal No 1 [limited digipak bonus]
+ Swords & Diamonds [video] [limited digipak bonus]

This is one of this Promo-rounds main album, in my point of view. (But "Gothic Knights was better).
At least I hoped that, but I had my doubt, 'cause Limb often releases albums that sounds really promising but turns out to be one of all dozen-Power Metal band.
And this time, I saw a big promotion picture in Sweden's biggest Metal paper, Sweden Rock Magazine, and thought, "Hope that this will be a great release not a dozen release".
And after just 2 seconds into the first sing (not the intro), I had my answer; this is NOT a dozen band.

I know that many of you have grown tired of all those Power Metal band that sings about Dragons, sword, knights and fantasy creatures, but those band have always interested me, as long as they at least they are a little eccentric.

"Cryonic Temple" is from Sweden (Damn, this is the third one.) and their history goes back to late 1996 when members from the two groups, "Lex Credo" and "Trooper" ("Iron Maiden" Cover band) went together.
And until today, the band have released 3 demos, Seasons in Hell in 1997, Before the End in 1998 and Warsong in 2000 and upon that, one real album, named Chapter 1, that was released in 2002, may 202 to be exactly.
And from the band, that was created in 1996 is just two founding members left, the singer Johan Johansson and the guitar player Esa "Freewheeler" Ahonen.
That duo IS Cryonic Temple; Johan with is excellent voice and Esa with godlike guitar play.

You can hear Esa's capacity already in the first track (not the intro), with a melodic, and wonderful guitar play he kick start the first song, one of the best on the album, "Mercenaries of Metal", great chorus, where Esa and Johan does a great job, Esa's melodic guitar and Johan's own kind of Power vocals.

Sure, the track titles are a bit "as-usual" but the songs themselves are great, almost every one of them. That much thanks to Esa and Johan.
Their great teamwork gives this release a big push and I think that everyone that is a little open-minded really could like this, 'cause it's hard to find two souls in the same band with such teamwork.
And the song "Long Live the Warriors" could easily be a "Manowar" song, it is in the same spirit, but I think that this one is better with "Cryonic Temple" than "Manowar".

So all of you, that's not tired of the Power Metal scene; this is for you, great Swedish Power.
But for all you, that are a little open-minded check this guys out, maybe you will like them.


Killing Songs: A really solid album, but "Mercenaries of Metal" is the best one but almost all is something over general.