RAMPART – Codex Metalum review

 RAMPART – Codex Metalum

Iron Shield Records

http://www.rampartmetal.com/home.php

Ah a band that comes from our Balkan neighborhood and I appreciate a lot. I had also the chance to see them live in Thessaloniki and these guys are really good on stage. RAMPART from Bulgaria is a band that has already released 3 studio albums and this is their fourth work. From their previous releases, which I have listened to all, except for the album in Bulgarian language, I recommend you listen to their debut which is a killer release and their EP published on tape under the title “A Tale to Cold”. Anyway, the new album finds the band under a new label and I was really anxious to listen to it.

Musically the band plays a mixture of heavy and power metal inspired by the 80’s and late 90’s. I think that all who have listened to them will agree that RAMPART are influenced by the German metal sound and they also have some IRON MAIDEN and N.W.O.B.H.M. touches. On “Codex Metalum” the band moves on the shame musical path and yet they have enriched their sound with U.S. power/speed metal influences. Besides this the voice of Maria is the kind of female voice that I like to listen to in a heavy metal band and personally reminds me a bit of the great Jutta.

All in all, RAMPART offer us their best album after their debut and it is an album that shows how the band has matured and progressed musically without losing its identity. It shows also a confident band that knows thoroughly the sound they play and create songs that a fan of the European heavy/power metal sound will enjoy.

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis