Elettra Storm are a power metal band from Italy formed in 2023, releasing their debut album ‘Powerlords’ in 2024…
…featuring nine songs across forty-two fast and furious minutes! The band, led by Crystal Emiliani (ex-Lead Free), are the latest female-fronted power metal outfit to emerge from Italy throughout the last decade, following bands such as Temperance, Frozen Crown, Attractive Chaos, and Alterium – ‘Powerlords’ powering into life with the blistering ‘Higher Than The Stars’…
…searing speed ripping through the airways as the band adopts the classic pose and pomp of European power metal. Elettra Storm are electrifying here, ‘Higher Than The Stars’ an immediate like that offers every listener the chance to headbang right from the off! The pace, power and purpose of ‘Higher Than The Stars’ is straight off the top shelf, ‘Redemption’ actually increases the album’s speed! And what the hell? Male vocals! The bands guitarist Francis D. Mary chimed with a vocal performance to compliment Emiliani, totally changing ‘Redemption’s identity – a surprise bolt outta the blue but a fucking glorious one! I wonder what other surprises Elettra Storm has in store, as ‘Powerlords’ strides on with the more mid-tempo, majestic and elegant ‘Origin Of Dreams’ – the energy level remaining sky high. The band definitely stand tall and proud right in the middle of the power metal genre, re-imagining the dual vocalist aspect. Or is that re-inventing? Either way, the contrast between female and male vocals is vast, and thoroughly intriguing, keeping listeners hooked every step of the (album) way.
The title song ‘Powerlords’ is a pummelling furore of fast-paced “foot on the monitor” metal mixing the band’s power metal roots with the glorious gallop of traditional metal – the Italian five-piece continuing their incredible swagger around every corner of the power metal genre. And over the border wall into heavy metal territory too, ‘Powerlords’ (the song) hitting the brakes sharply to adopt the aura of hymn-like balladry – but almost immediately, the band push the pedal to the floor and accelerate off at high speed! I tell ya readers, there are more twists and turns here than all the worlds roller coasters put together! And with more grace and poise than everything heard so far, ‘Alone’ is a ballad-like stroll through the countryside on a hot summer day – peaceful, fresh and ever so relaxing! The elegance of Elettra Storm here belies the band’s power metal tag, but then it does seem to be the norm these days that every modern-day power metal album features a ballad of some description. And as regular readers will already know, I come from an era when ballads were solely for rock bands – something I still believe in today! So it’s with some form of relief that ‘Heirs Of The Descent’ returns power metal to the fore, albeit with a weighty touch of traditional heavy metal. Elettra Storm is maintaining their genre hopping stance, attracting a very wide array of metallers to the band’s soundscape – a soundscape rife with dual vocals, gear changing tempo’s and a steady meander through various styles of metal!
Electrifying speed lights up ‘Powerlords’ (the album) as the band scorch the Earth with ‘Sacrifice Of Angels’ burning red fucking hot – the power and pace the highest and fastest heard on the album so far. This kinda furious, fierce and feisty power metal is what I grew up with, listening to the likes of Accept, Grave Digger, Helloween, Running Wild and Rage re-define and re-write the power metal rule book. And it’s no coincidence either, that every one of these bands is from Germany – the country that led the way with regards to pioneering the power metal sound! A sound that has stood the test of time, living on in the hearts and souls of new generation after new generation of bands – Elettra Storm one of the newest generations to emerge into the power metal arena, the band planting their own slant on a forty-year-old sound. ‘Spirit Of The Moon’ takes flight with pace, Emiliani’s vocals soaring higher than ever, reaching the realm of symphonic metal – Elettra Storm pushing the envelope further and further to widen the band’s musical horizon! And at over six minutes in length, ‘Voices In The Wind’ is the longest song on offer, bringing the album to a close with a final flourish, the band firmly pressing the pedal to the metal one last time. And one last chance to vigorously bang your head too!
Overall, a wide ranging power metal gallop, ‘Powerlords’ roams through different territories to deliver a myriad of metal styles.
TRACKLIST
Higher Than The Stars
Redemption
Origin Of Dreams
Powerlords
Alone
Heirs Of The Descent
Sacrifice Of Angels
Spirit Of The Moon
Voices In The Wind
Elettra Storm: Facebook
Release Year: 2024
Label: Scarlet Records
Category: Album
Country: Italy
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
