Krilloan is a melodic power metal band from Sweden formed in 2020 by guitarist Klas Holmgren, releasing the band’s debut album ‘Emperor Rising’ in 2022. Inspired by bands such as Blind Guardian, Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Iron Savior, Krilloan made an electrifying entrance into the worldwide power metal scene, the nine songs on the band’s debut were delivered at a phenomenal pace across just thirty-six minutes! And now, two years later, Krilloan are back to pulverise listeners, fans and followers with more supercharged power metal courtesy of the band’s sophomore album ‘Return Of The Heralds’…
…emerging in 2024, featuring vocalist Alex VanTrue, guitarist Steve Brockmann, bass player Marco Toba, and drummer Christoph Brandes alongside founder Klas. The new album runs for forty fast-paced minutes containing ten new songs, and featuring a host of guest musicians – Evermore’s Johan Haraldsson & Johan Karlsson, Battle Born’s Jack Reynolds & Tom O’Dell, Shadowdance’s Carlos Alvarez, and Swedish folk master and HammerFall live guest Magnus Holmstrom. So now we know the players, what about the music – ‘Atlantean Sword’ opening the album with a burst of blistering speed, Krilloan immediately into their stride to surge forth with a tonne of energy! The head bang ability here is phenomenal, the classic sound of European power metal in full flight is fucking gorgeous, and the Swedish outfit continues to set the world of metal on fire!
A sensational opening to the band’s new album, Krilloan keeps the pedal firmly pressed to the metal to surge forth with ‘Kings Of The Iron Hill’, and a heavier feel than ‘Atlantean Sword’. The band are blazing a fiery trail outta Kronoberg, every listener around the world feeling the heat from the exciting new power metallers, the pace and power right now off the fucking charts! And I reckon that’s where it’s gonna stay for the rest of the album too, ‘Blood & Fire (Born On A Battlefield)’ a bolder, more bombastic offering than either of the two songs heard so far. The band are hitting harder here too, Krilloan knocking everyone into next week with a thundering power metal avalanche, the ground shuddering beneath the band as they hurtle across it! And with an increased level of majesty and elegance, ‘Hammer Of Wrath’ saunters in, taking flight after twenty five seconds to resume the all-out power metal attack – the energy level surging higher and higher the longer the album runs! Just where do Krilloan get their energy from? God knows there are some days I need an extra boost – come on guys, let me know!
And clocking in at over five minutes in length, ‘Avenging Son’ is the longest song on offer, and the only one to breach the five-minute mark – the band bustling on at the fastest pace the album has seen! Or rather heard, ‘Avenging Son’ banging the head of every listener, fan and follower more violently than ever before – Krilloan packing an unabashed and unadulterated power metal punch! And from the longest song to the shortest, ‘The Oathpact’ just one and a half minutes in length to allow everyone a short breather from the all-consuming intensity of the album. ‘Oathpact’ is a mellow instrumental with an air of serenity, building to a near unbearable tension-filled crescendo, segueing into the title song ‘Return Of The Heralds’ and the immediate return of foot-to-floor power metal. Probably faster than anything heard up to this point, ‘Return Of The Heralds’ (the song) is a frantic foray of extreme head bang ability, listeners head just a blur as everyone tries to keep up with the band! Good luck with that one!
The all-conquering intensity of the album has been stunning, Krilloan keeping the hammer down so hard even Thor couldn’t lift it up – ‘The Kingkillers Tale’ strolling into view with the mellowest feel heard so far, the sound of an impending ballad wafting through the air! And while yes there’s some balladry here, ‘The Kingkillers Tale’ is more like a hymn-like story told to a group of friends after an evening of fine wine and good food – and just like a fine wine that matures and gets better with age, so do Krilloan, the band’s maturity in regards to songwriting and musical composition clear for everyone to hear! ‘We Burn’ again returns pace to the fore, the band roaring louder than ever to resume the all-out power metal attack once more, the energy level just as high if not higher than heard earlier – or should that be felt earlier! Either way, Krilloan have been at their energetic best since the album began, an album that comes to an end with the most mid-paced song on offer, ‘Beyond The Gates’ assuming a mid tempo majestic march – that is until the chorus break arrives at a hundred fucking miles an hour to send the head bang ability soaring higher than ever!
Overall, fast-paced foot to the floor power metal with immense energy and drive, ‘Return Of The Heralds’ is infectious and head bang-able to the max.
TRACKLIST
Atlantean Sword
Kings Of The Iron Hill
Blood & Fire (Born On A Battlefield)
Hammer Of Wrath
Avenging Son
The Oathpact
Return Of The Heralds
The Kingkillers Tale
We Burn
Beyond The Gates
Krilloan: Facebook
Release Year: 2024
Label: Scarlet Records
Category: Album
Country: Sweden
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
