Band:	Ironsword
Album:	Return Of The Warrior
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	September 01, 2004
A review by:	wrathchild

01. Ironsword
02. Beginning Of The End
03. First Masters
04. Return Of The Warrior
05. Brothers Of The Blade
06. Nemedian Chronicles
07. Way Of The Barbarian
08. Dragons Of The Sea
09. The Wench
10. War Hymn
11. Death Or Glory
12. Let The Titans Collide

It takes just a few seconds to understand that Ironsword plays something cheesy, yet let's dig a bit more than that together, ok?

The sound of the Portuguese band is quite simple and straight in your face, influenced by bands like Manilla Road and Judas Priest with a touch of Manowar but without any trace of high pitched voice, making it sometimes closer to a band like Grave Digger (for young people to have a reference).

The mastermind behind Ironsword, Tann, writes about the work of Robert E. Howard (Conan's creator). His epic true metal already brought his band to the Keep It True 2004 festival and the Headbangers Open Air 2005 both in Germany.

But that's it: Only fans of so-called "true (power) metal" will fully appreciate this Return Of The Warrior, the second album they released. Even the production reminds me of the eighties. Heavy rhythm riffs, some good solos and leads, yet the whole sounds quite repetitive. Surprisingly, the last songs of the album appeal more to me than the others cause I find them to be more varied and creative."War Hymn" is a good example as opposed to "Brothers Of The Blade"" which I find quite plain.

All the songs are heavy and catchy enough to have you headbang and sometimes sing along with Tann, but we've heard it all before. Be sure to check it if you're nostalgic.