Band:	Solitary Sabred
Album:	By Fire & Brimstone
Style:	Heavy metal, Power metal
Release date:	March 2020

01. Servants Of The Elder Gods
02. Assassins Of Carthage
03. Disillusions
04. Invoking The Master
05. The Scarlet Citadel (Chronicles Of The Barbarian King Pt.I)
06. Fyres of Koth (Chronicles Of The Barbarian King Pt.II)
07. Psionic Transmogrification
08. IX
09. Blestem

One pretty strong heavy metal release last year came from Cyprus, but it unfortunately went fairly unnoticed. I wouldn't want to let another one have the same fate so, four months after its release, let me present to you Solitary Sabred's By Fire & Brimstone. Better late than never, eh?

Cyprus is not exactly a renowned location for metal bands but there are a few that deserve attention, such as Arrayan Path, Mirror, Vomitile, and Solitary Sabred. The latter were founded back in 2000 by Jimmy Demetriou but this is only their third release in 20 years. The band went through a long hiatus and essentially came together in 2007 when Petros Leptos joined.

By Fire & Brimstone is an album that any fan of "true" metal will enjoy. Its music is a concoction of traditional heavy metal and U.S. power metal, filled with epic themes as far as both the music and the lyrics are concerned. Manilla Road is an obvious influence, but also imagine Manowar when they were truly epic and not the joke that they have become, Crimson Glory of the first two albums and early Queensrÿche for the prog power element, Iced Earth of the first two albums for the faster and heavier riffs, Mercyful Fate and Iron Maiden circa Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son for the mystical aura, and finally some Sanctuary thrown in for good measure. These influences are manifested in the songwriting and the sweet guitar work but also in the magnificent and versatile vocals of Petros Leptos who sounds like the worthy successor of Midnight, Eric Adams, and Warrel Dane.

The album is full of sword and sorcery and goes by effortlessly, clocking in at just over 40 minutes. The first half boasts the goosebumps-inducing "Disillusions", while the second half is dominated by the fascinating two parts of "Chronicles Of The Barbarian King", with its theme based on The Phoenix On The Sword by Robert E. Howard. As a whole, the record comes across as a fortune teller's narrative; it is enigmatic, ensorcelling, and wicked. The cover artwork by Kostas Tsiakos adds to this character very convincingly.

Overall, Solitary Sabred tackle the restricted novelty (hence all that name-dropping earlier) with captivating songwriting, wizardly atmosphere, and praise-worthy individual performances. When the current concert restrictions are lifted, By Fire & Brimstone is an album that they will be proud to present to live audiences in festivals such as Keep It True or Up The Hammers, which appreciate this sort of metal.

"Shackled and chained the king lies wounded left to die
The echoes of the serpent slither in the night
Dark dungeon bound whispers of death are hissing by
The echoes of the serpent slither in the...
Night"