THE WAYMAKER – The Waymaker

Heavenly Melodies

The self titled debut album from Scandinavian Christian Power Metal band The Waymaker has just hit the airwaves, showing us what it sounds like to cross Yngwie Malmsteen with Christian Worship music. The band was formed in the summer of 2019 by vocalist Christian Liljegren (Narnia) & guitarist Jani Stefanovic (Solution .45 & Miseration) who were both involved in Divinefire, releasing five studio albums between 2005-2011.  Enter the talented and soulful Finnish solo artist Katja Stefanovic, completing the trio of vocalists and adding her talents to The Waymaker.

Technically Solid Work

From start to finish the album is beautifully produced, with the guitar work of Jani Stefanovic being top notch as he delivers a technically near perfect performance. The themes and guitar solos are all very melodic, though they do tend to resemble the work of early Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force era. Production work here is also top notch as Jani Stefanovic  deftly handles the roles of producer and sound engineer. Guest musician Alfred Fridhagen delivers an amazing performance on the drums, adding his own unique talents to project. The vocals are shared by the trio, giving a lot of diversity to the songs from low growls to soaring screams.

Favorite Tracks

The Waymaker has 9 tracks including a cover of Stryper’s “Soldiers Under Command”, which they do a solid job of covering. As to be expected the title track comes on strong, giving the listener a taste of what’s to come. “Kingdom of Heaven” follows and is also one of the stronger tracks on the album, though for this reviewer not as strong as “Marching On” with it’s manic pace and flying guitar work. Least favorite track was the ballad “The Rain of Your Love”, which felt a little out of place musically with the rest of the album.

Final Notes

The Waymaker is a very talented trio that has created a technically solid Power Metal album, and if you can get past the lyrics the typical metal fans would most certainly rave about it. The thing is that not all metal fans want to mix religion with their heavy music.  Make no mistake that every song on the record is a Christian worship song, though the band does not bill themselves this way.  One look and listen and there is no doubt as to their intent from the crucifix and burning dove on the cover to the Stryper cover tune. All in all, if you like mixing your Christian faith with Power Metal, this is a great album to have in your collection.

Lineup

Christian Liljegren – Lead/Backing Vocals
Jani Stefanovic – Guitars/Bass/Keyboards/Vocals
Katja Stefanovic – Lead/Backing Vocals

Guest Musicians

CJ Grimmark – Guitar solo on “Soldiers Under Command”
Alfred Fridhagen – Drums

The Waymaker – Tracklist

1. The Waymaker
2. Kingdom of Heaven
3. Soldiers Under Command (Stryper cover)
4. Marching On
5. Prophet’s Sign (Instrumental)
6. The Name Above All Names
7. The Rain of Your Love
8. I Am Sustained
9. See the New Generation