Review | EchoSoul – Time Of The Dragon

No Dust Records

`Time of the Dragon’, the new album of EchoSoul, arrives as a powerful and scorching presence in the power metal landscape, distinguishing itself as one of the more compelling new metal albums. From the outset, the band makes it clear that they are not content to simply revive the proven formulas of the genre. Instead, they inject their sound with a heavier, more aggressive edge, drawing on brawling thrash influences and progressive alternations without ever losing sight of its compelling melody and hooks dropping.

A VERSATILE FRONTMAN

Opening with the short cinematic ,,Epilogue” and its title track, `Time of the Dragon’ immediately submerges listeners into a world of apocalyptic grandeur. A well-structured chaos your need to adjust to in order to experience the magnitude of the climatic melodies and instrumental wizardry deployed. The guitars are sharp and dynamic, carrying a sense of urgency that’s matched Tyler Witte’s dynamic drumming and by Rob Lundgren’s commanding vocals. Throughout the album, Lundgren’s proves himself a versatile frontman, effortlessly shifting from soaring, melodic lines to grittier, more forceful passages. Modern refreshing but strongly rooted in the 80s and 90s, his delivery lends weight to the album’s lyrical themes, which are steeped in biblical and prophetic imagery but never feel heavy or pretentious. The mood swing and tempo shift of the breakdown is demanding, with

Guy Hinton adding serious weight on the harmonies. Hinton really stepped up with the creation of the new songs. His willingness to experiment with structure and tone sets the album apart from the vast majority. Songs like ambitious epic ,,Path of the Righteous”, with its constantly changing dynamics and brisk thrashy elements at the helm, and the insanely technical ,,Invisible Empire” with its intricate time changes and progressive breaks showcase the progressive ambitions if EchoSoul. Weaving together challenging arrangements and unexpected tempo changes atop memorable melodies and licks.

EPIC JOURNEY

At this most adventurous creativity, the band never loses sight of the hooks that make their music so immediately engaging. The choruses are harmonized anthemic and memorable, with Hinton adding a distinct raw edge to Lundgren’s wide range, with the choruses inviting the listener to join in the album’s epic journey. Everything just gels amazingly well even in the center of its most intrinsic twists and turns. ,,Instruments of Chaos” welds its title directly onto the chaos expected with hammering drums and relentless urging stance supporting Lundgren’s commanding vocals. Searing it with gradual tension, the unfolds with soaring chorus. It blends modern prog metal with classic metal. Again, the guitars are simply astounding gearing up in the solo.

HEART FELT TRAGEDY

At the heart of the new songs is some heart felt tragedy, the battle of suicide, which Guy’s loved one went through. There is political intrigue, conspiracy, anthems and one about the rise and fall of Jerusalem and the battle that continues. Exploring themes of struggle, redemption, and hope in the face of darkness, the framework of music and lyrics are well aligned by Hinton.

Tracks like the impressively emotional ,,Sister Suicide” evokes gut-wrenching with towering instrumentation and an enthralling vocal guitar solo by guest Giampiero Presilli. ,,Die Demon Die” also delves into personal battles and resilience, adding a different layer of emotional depth, with its anger laden vocal sections and pressing pace. ,,Hollowed Ground” maintains the relentless drive with more of those soaring rich vocal deliveries of Lundgren. At times reminiscent to Matt Barlow’s best work, without bordering with the late and great Carl Albert in the emotional delivery. It all adds volumes to the lyrical content. As does the guest spot of Andy La Rocque (King Diamond, Death, Swedish Erotica) on the intense and colorful guitar solo dueling with Hinton. Heading into the end the song discharges with an impressive array of guitar melodies alternating atop the drum breaks and massive hooks.

PROGRESSIVE SONICS

Pushing the boundaries, ,,Invisible Empire” adds Death Metal accolades with the band’s epic idiom delivered. Wonderful guitar licks and intense riff-delivery at the helm, Rob’s narrating and impressive vocal delivery is countered by Guy’s gutted screams. The guitars are scorching on the solos and the riffs chugging with stomping power. The cinematic short symphonic arrangement adds to the experience, and the way the song’s melodic construct is synchronized with the melody of it is astounding.

The way Lundgren shuts the lit on the song tight is equally impressive and opens towards the instrumental bliss of ,,Split”, paving the way for a power metal meets 90s Shrapnel shred moment. Alternating licks, scorching riffs, weeping licks are mixed into the progressive sonics, with dynamic drum breaks and halting tracks. The melodies are almost ethereal, contrasting the song’s elemental discharge and parading urge.

Contemplating all of the above, ,,A New Conspiracy” closes `Time of the Dragon’ in style, with the most progressive thrashy and thought-provoking track saved for last. Despite the often-heavy subject matter, there’s an undeniable sense of crispness and energy that runs in the veins and creative fabric, making the album as enjoyable as it is thought-provoking.

ECHOSOUL – THE CONCLUSION

Production-wise, the album is crisp and modern, allowing each instrument to shine without overpowering the others. The rhythm section provides a solid backbone grounding EchoSoul’s technical tendencies and songwriting proficiency. Meanwhile, the guitar work is consistently impressive, balancing technical grandeur with emotional resonance.

`Time of the Dragon’ is a bold and ambitious album choke full of progressive twists and turns in a musical varied landscape, carving out a unique space in a crowded and expanding genre. The ability of EchoSoul to blend power metal, prog, thrash, and melo-death elements results in a sound that is fresh and familiar and challenges the listener constantly. `Time of the Dragon’ displays the creative growth and creativity of EchoSoul, attractive to fans from the widest array of genres. Definitely a must hear for fans of Ashes of Ares, Iced Earth, Symphony X and their most progressive counterparts. Wonderful!

Release date: 15 May 2025