Iceland is a bucket list location for me, and with as well traveled as I am, I have yet to make it there. When thinking of Iceland, images of waterfalls, geysers, fjords, and the Blue Lagoon all come to mind, making it no wonder why the nature lover in me wants to visit! Admittedly, not as much comes to mind when thinking of music from Iceland, though there are obvious ones like world class vocalist Björk and amazing post rock band Sigur Rós. Now, I can happily add Power Paladin to that list.

Sextet Power Paladin greeted the world with their brand of tongue-in-cheek symphonic power metal with 2022’s debut full length “With the Magic of Windfyre Steel.” It definitely had its moments and doubled down on the whimsy, but admittedly it wasn’t a keeper for me. It had a number of great songs and was absolutely oozing talent, but I found the pacing and songwriting a bit inconsistent, and I didn’t find myself returning to it. I am always curious to see how a band evolves between releases, and Power Paladin took some giant leaps forward with their brand new album, “Beyond the Reach of Enchantment.” The symphonic elements still peek out here and there, and the album has its cinematic and epic moments, but the speedometer stays at a high level as this album lights your ears on fire with its technical prowess and need for speed. Lead vocalist Atli Guðlaugsson is phenomenal, displaying incredible range and just as easily piercing the atmosphere with his highs as he can stay close to terra nova, all while sporting an incredible tone. The drumming is fast and furious while adding lots of fun fills and rhythms to the mix, keeping each song driving ahead in thunderous fashion. The guitars across the board are phenomenal, from the blazing riffs and smoking strings solos to the guitarmonies and hefty bass. This is an album for guitar lovers, and it seems like these guys just have an absolute blast playing their instruments. There is also great use of keys, with some pretty sweet solo work and well-placed atmosphere in various spots. A variety of other instruments (or at least their sounds) make entrances here and there, including harpsichord, bagpipes, and lute, adding fun textures and mixing things up. I definitely hear a lot of Dragonforce and Helloween in both the speed and melodies, mixed with the epic cinematic quality of bands like Majestica and Fellowship. 

If you want to hear how to start a speedy power metal album, just listen to opening track “Sword Vigor.” This may be one of my favorite opening tracks of the year, with that riff just kicking things into high gear as the song races forward. In general the guitars are just phenomenal in this song, plenty of lead and solo work that, in conjunction with the silliness of the band itself, will make you grin so wide your cheeks will hurt. The vocals are powerful in their delivery, showing off their range throughout (check out the swell up at the end of the second verse!), and the chorus is super singable while inducing a serious headbang. The long guitar solo in the middle is epic, eventually yielding to an 8-bit video game vibe, before reprising the chorus one final time. And then there is the epic ending,  Guðlaugsson’s vocals soaring while the guitars reenter their solo playground, ripping circles around you as the smoke burns off the frets.

“Glade Lords of Athel Loren” reminds me of what melding a heavy helping of speedy Dragonforce with Fellowship might turn out. Fun neoclassical touches and guitarmonies kick things off before making way for powerful riffing and galloping drums. The verse has near earworm moments, and the chorus will camp in your brain, all while the drums and guitars power ahead unrelentingly. Power Paladin clearly thrives on long instrumentals. I love the extended instrumental in between the first chorus and second verse, and the long interlude halfway through the song breaks things up nicely. It slows things way down, greeting your ears to the sound of a harpsichord with lead guitar flourishes and driving bass underneath, building to a neoclassical shredfest that sees one of the two times the album features harsh vocals. They are used to great effect in an urgent call and respond vocals pattern featuring a back and forth with the Dark Lord and the Lords of the Laurelorn, bringing the underlying story to life even more. And then you are back to another shredtastic passage with killer melodies, powerful riffage, and fret gymnastics. Much like the first song, they end with the chorus and some punctuating vocal accents before finishing. 

“The Royal Road” has a whimsical Monty Python like beginning, reminding me of many moments from the band’s debut album. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, quickly kicking into overdrive with another barnburner beginning. The vocals on this album are such a highlight, and this song is no exception, with the more straightforward verse yielding to a very Fellowship-esque singalong chorus. The fabulous post second chorus guitar solo first features one guitar, then dueling harmony while bass drives a chunky underbelly. And then when you think the solo is done, the guitar really rips loose, delivering an even longer extended solo. The listener is afforded a brief reprieve with a brief slower chorus over piano, before racing ahead for a big epic ending.

Guðlaugsson is a fabulous vocalist, with incredible range and tone, but if you are going to invite a guest vocalist, why not get one of the best voices in all of metal? “The Arcane Tower” does just this, bringing in Tommy Johansson of Majestica to add his pipes to the mix. His voice is instantly recognizable, and I swear if I didn’t know otherwise, I could have been convinced this was a new Majestica song. It has that big epic feel, with crazy vocal layers, massive range, and incredible melodies. The middle section grinds everything to a halt, one of the first true extended breaks on the album, an atmospheric choir taking over for just shy of a minute, before guitar leads and stratospheric vocals epically captivate, leading to another great guitar solo. Power Paladin likes their choral endings with embellishments, and that Tommy note at the end nearly left orbit! The finale closes with a semi reprise of the intro, just much slower and more emotive.

“Aegis of Eternity” begins with a killer guitar lead melody, then echoes it on the keys when the drums race ahead, creating a cool effect. The verse has a more aggressive thrash approach in both its riffing and vocals, whereas the pre chorus and chorus settle back into a more melodic power metal vibe. You see more of a melding in the second verse, with a perfectly placed high note wail in the middle, prepping you for the upcoming prog power intermission. Your ears get to feast on syncopated drum rhythms, flaming guitars and keys, and some killer melodies and harmonies (check out that dueling keys solo!). A subdued interlude makes way for more blazing and some of the most consistently high vocals in the chorus. One final transition brings things back down to earth before finishing in a blaze of glory, with a few well placed high notes because, well, why not?

“Camelot Rock City” is cinematic and epic, bringing you to the arena for a fight for the ages featuring the best knights of the realm. This triumphant feel carries through as the guitars and drums drive ahead. The chorus has a massive anthemic feel, and I could see this being the perfect crowd participation song, fists pumping in the air as the chorus refrain is regularly repeated. Power Paladin clearly loves fun, and this song embodies that perfectly start to finish. The instrumental section features guitars and keys each getting their own solo, a nifty bagpipe melody underpinned by syncopated drums and chunky bass, and an eventual reprise of the bagpipes melody in the form of a guitar solo.

“Keeper of the Crimson Dungeon” has a great intro with a number of layers supporting the fret gymnastics. It settles into a driving power metal cadence, with a big singalong chorus that also feels ripe for a live audience. This is perhaps the most straightforward song on the album, yet still dazzles with great guitarwork and soaring vocals. It sets you up for the epic finale.

This song is “Valediction,” clocking in at just over 9 and a half minutes. It begins with a one minute subdued picked solo that sounds very harp-like but is actually a lute, absolutely gorgeous in its richness, ending in a storm-like clap before knocking you off your feet with neoclassical speed! Finally, at just before two minutes, it settles into a chunky thrash riff followed by a brief guitar solo, paving the way for  Guðlaugsson to enter the fray with a thrashy approach. The chorus has a massive feel to it, Tommy-esque in the delivery as the Majestica vibes flow, before slamming you back into a thrash groove. Four minutes in and you see the second appearance of harsh vocals as a nice transition, shouting “Unbelievers!” while playing out more of the story, then hands back to the soaring chorus. The successive nearly two minutes instrumental section brings eerie vibes, bagpipes, and even the sound of an organ with guitars lurking around before wrapping up with a simple guitar solo. Vocals come back in, with Guðlaugsson joined by Sara Rut Fannarsdóttir in a fabulous duet, adding nice flair that I would love to see more of. You then get yet another extended instrumental of nearly 90 seconds featuring a guitar solo, an incredible keyboard solo, and then another guitar solo that layers in guitarmony. The vocals come back one final time, slow and cinematic, yielding to one final short thrash outburst enroute to the end. 

These 8 songs spread across 48 minutes literally fly by and are so much fun. In my opinion, this album is an absolutely massive step up from their debut, and I have yet to grow tired of it after who knows how many front to back listens (well over 30). Power Paladin may not be reinventing the wheel so to speak, but they have composed 8 in your face power metal anthems infusing plenty of technical prowess and whimsy that demand your listening attention. I am late reviewing this, but at just past the halfway point of the year, this is easily one of the best power metal albums released so far this year.