Ignitor – Road of Bones

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Do you like power metal in the vein of European bands like Primal Fear and Nocturnal Rites? Then chances are you’ll enjoy Road of Bones from band Ignitor. Consisting of Texas metal scene veterans, the quintet also mine from the same stylistic well that makes bands like Slough Feg so appealing. This is gimmick-free metal of the purest form. Erika Tandy’s powerhouse vocals return to a time when singers could actually hit high notes and not just resort to screaming and grunting. Not only do they soar but her vocals also have personality which really comes through on songs like “Scarlet Enigma.” She has since exited the band so hopefully the band can find a suitable replacement because these songs deserve someone strong singing them.

Guitarist Stuart Laurence might be familiar to older SMN News readers as a member of Agony Column. It is great finding him still churning out high-caliber metal like this! He delivers some nasty riffing throughout the album but “Broken Glass” is the definite stand out here. This song contains all the elements a great metal song should contain. The jagged riff refrains, the bombastic chorus and the kind of memorable guitar solos that never replace technicality with quality. This album isn’t going to cause waves or anything but it doesn’t mean you should ignore it. If you know and love classic metal, Ignitor deserves your attention.