Hailing from the most metal land of Wisconsin, Lords of the
Trident is one of the more over the top bands in an already over the top genre.
While their goofy themes and stage personas make them seem like power metal’s
answer to Lordi or GWAR, the actual music is quite energetic and well put
together for an emerging group. This EP is their latest studio effort, with
there being two full-lengths before this one, and sums the band up pretty well
in just four songs.
While the production is quite sanitized, Lords of the
Trident sits pretty securely in the American power metal style. The guitars are
as melodic as they are fast and the vocals range from mid-range cleans that
recall Pharaoh’s Tim Aymar to intentionally cheesy falsettos that bring bands
like Cage and 3 Inches of Blood to mind. There is also a slight folk metal side
that is prominent at the climax of the particularly stirring “Song Of The Wind
And Sea.”
But aside from that borderline ballad, the other three songs
generally opt for a much more upbeat pace with plenty of memorable hooks. “Complete
Control” may be the most distinct track as it provides the most straightforward
performance and opens the EP with attention grabbing wails that would’ve
flopped in the hands of a lesser singer. From there, the title track brings in
a strong gallop attached to an uplifting chorus and “The Joust” closes things
out in an epic fashion.
While I have yet to hear the two albums before this one in
full, Plan Of Attack manages to be an
excellently executed EP. The song titles and lyrics don’t seem to be as silly
as before, but there is still enough camp to keep things entertaining and good
enough writing to keep it from straying too far into the standard comedy rock
traps. Highly recommended to power metal fans across the board.
Current Highlights:
“Complete Control”
“Song Of The Wind and Sea”
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