Three years is not a long time to wait for the release of a new album, especially one being the product of a band that you really like, but somehow in the case of Swedish metallers Grand Magus, this delay created huge doubts in my head with regards the band's future. Why? I really don't know, but you can surely justify why I felt as if the ground had moved under my feet the moment I was informed that the band's original band member Trisse decided to give up his well-earned seat behind the drums. What now, I thought to myself? Well, all negative feelings I experienced at the time were transformed into sheer happiness the moment I received the promo copy of "Iron Will" - Grand Magus's fourth studio effort.

Those of you who read my review of the band's previous album "Wolf's Return" (2005) may be wondering why I failed to provide it with a top rating and to be entirely honest with you, I never quite understood it myself at the time. Strangely enough, things became clear only a couple of weeks ago, the moment I started listening to "Iron Will" and began drawing comparisons between the two albums. Even though both releases are built upon the same basic principles and influences, "Iron Will" manages to come across as slightly more superior in terms of production and overall performance and won my attention in no time. Not only that, but for the first time in the band's career I came across a release that, even though it does feature a few tracks that I can easily classify as being my personal favourites, I felt compelled to listen to it from start to finish, over and over again.

Any recording artist will tell you that one of the most important attributes that an album can possess nowadays is the ability to capture the attention of its intended audience from the very first few notes - a 'mission' that "Like the Oar Strikes the Water" managed to achieve with absolute success. Featuring an epic mandolin intro, an array of simple but killer riffs and a beautiful Maidenesque guitar solo, this three and a half minute opus shocks not only with its simplicity but also by its straightforwardness, serving as a warning for better things to come. The following track "Fear is the Key" can also be classified as the band's tribute to NWOBHM, yet a groovy break half way through bares more similarities with Doom Metal bands of the likes of Cathedral.

More such references can be found in "Self Deceiver", a slow rhythmical doom opus, but prior to that you will first be exposed to the same titled "Iron Will" and "Silver Into Steel" - the former being a mid tempo rhythmical killer and the latter a heavy/melodic opus whose vocals are heavily influenced by Rainbow, whereas its main riff is reminiscent of that of Manowar's in the all time classic, and my personal favourite, "Blood of My Enemies".

Even though "Silver Into Steel" is one of my personal favourites of the album, the first song that brought shivers down my spine was "The Shadow Knows" - a five and a half minute up tempo composition which combines the beat elements from two of the best Heavy Metal bands ever to set foot on this earth: Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Those of you who are really interested in finding out whether Seb, the band's new drummer, is a worthy replacement for Trisse, will find many arguments in his defence on "Beyond Good and Evil", leaving the nine minute opus "I am the North" to provide a fitting ending to this great release.

If you were to ask me a month ago as to whether I believed that Grand Magus would ever manage to top their 2003 release "Monument", an album that became a very good companion to me over these last few years, the answer would probably have been 'no', so this is indeed one of the few times in my life that I am so happy to have been proven wrong. "Iron Will" is an album of immense quality and passion, and album that has 'imposed itself' on me to such an extent that it will take a miracle in order to deprive it from featuring in my 'best of' list for 2008.

*****

Review by John Stefanis