Steel Prophet – ‘The God Machine’
Album Review By Adam McCann
Rock Of Angels Records/Power Metal
Steel Prophet do not get the recognition they deserve, not only have they held the flag of power metal for thirty years, they have released a solid library of albums that could give even the most famous power metal bands a run for their money. Yet, when long-serving vocalist Rick Mythiasin stepped down in 2015, there was speculation as to the actual status of Steel Prophet. Fortunately, earlier this year R.D. Liapakis of Mystic Prophecy stepped up to the microphone as Steel Prophet once again found their voice with their latest album ‘The God Machine’; but the question is, does it work?
The answer is, damn straight it works. Steel Prophet have not sounded this reinvigorated in years, Liapakis has brought with him that Bruce Dickinson air-raid siren that had made Mystic Prophecy so tantalising and because of this, ‘The God Machine’ is nothing short of excellent. Each song on this album has that rare singalong quality, yet due to its power metal nature, every song allows the listener to belt it out, imaging one foot on the monitor in front of a fully packed stadium. Tracks such as ‘Damnation Calling’, ‘Crucify’ and the title track itself all have a quality which not just guarantees a good album, but also gives the album a longevity that in time could make ‘The God Machine’ uttered in the same breath as Steel Prophet’s best works.
Yet, this album is so much more than just a change in vocalist, yes, Liapakis’ voice is a huge boon, but ‘The God Machine’ is an album where all cylinders are firing, it an album where all the parts are moving in the correct direction and because of this it is a must buy for any power metal fan this year. Do not be surprised if this album is not only riding high in December, but also claiming victory over upcoming albums from both Sabaton and HammerFall.
Rating : 90/100
MHF Magazine/Adam McCann
