Riot V – ‘Armor of Light’
Album Review by Adam McCann
Nuclear Blast Records 2018
Heavy Metal/Power Metal
Riot are probably one of the unluckiest heavy metal bands, not only have they lost a host of members to varying cancers and illness’, but they have been dogged with a host of line-up changes that would make Uriah Heep blush. In 2013 Riot returned under the moniker of Riot V as a nod to their fifth official vocalist, the former Reverence man Todd Michael Hall. Following the release of their previous album in 2014, the excellent ‘Unleash the Fire’, Riot V hit the ground running in 2018 with their latest album ‘Armor of Light’.
‘Armor of Light’ smashes out of the traps from the off as Riot V almost take a running leap into power metal with fast thrashing riffs, coupled with rhythmic double bass drumming and the high soaring vocals of Hall. Tracks such as ‘Messiah’, ‘Angel’s Thunder, Devil’s Reign’ and the title track which keep the album bouncing along at an addictive pace that could have been set by HammerFall themselves. Furthermore, it is blistering tracks such as the extremely power metal vibes of ‘Victory’ and ‘Heart of a Lion’, alongside songs that hark back to Riot’s glory days in the early 80’s such as the ode to Texas ‘San Antonio’ and ‘Caught In The Witches Eye’. However, the only weak link on ‘Armor of Light’ is ‘Set The World Alight’, it sticks out like a sore thumb and the album loses nothing by skipping this track.
This album is superb, from start to finish it never really lets up and deserves to played loud and constantly, it is one of the best albums that you will hear this year and do not be surprised that at the years end, ‘Armor of Light’ will be riding high and rightly so.
Rating : 86/100
MHF Magazine/Adam McCann
