NORTHTALE – Eternal Flame

NORTHTALE - Eternal Flame
  • 9.1/10
    NORTHTALE - Eternal Flame - 9.1/10
9.1/10

Summary

Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Release date: November 12, 2021

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User Review
5.67/10 (3 votes)

Power Metal Supreme

For those looking for Power Metal in it’s purest form, look no farther than to the 2nd full-length album by Northtale – Eternal Flame released on Nuclear Blast Records. Northtale was formed by guitarist Bill Hudson (Jon Oliva’s Pain, ex-U.D.O.) when he invited drummer Patrick Johansson (Impellitteri, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen) to join ranks, with bassist Mikael Planefeldt and keyboardist Jimmy Pitts rounding out the team. Vocalist Guilherme Hirose (Traumer, ex-Queen Evil) is new to the lineup, replacing Christian Eriksson.

Return To Glory

The goal for NorthTale according to Bill Hudson: “We want to bring back the amazing golden years of power metal. Like in the late 90s, when Stratovarius, Helloween, Hammerfall and all those bands were at their peak! Those bands, alongside Iron Maiden and Judas Priest have been inspiring me to write music my whole life.” With the release of Eternal Flame, they have accomplished their goal, and then some. The album includes 12 tracks of ripping Power Metal with everything you’d expect, plus guest spots by legend Kai Hansen and son, Mary Zimmer of Helion Prime and Jonas Heidgert of Dragonland. The album has a great mix, with all production values hitting top marks. NorthTale also cover the Iron Maiden classic ‘Judas be My Guide”, transforming it seamlessly into Power Metal.

Final Notes

Eternal Flame is a great record that delivers everything they had hoped for when NorthTale was conceived. The musicianship is over-the-top good, while the songs are well written with fantastic use of melodies and powerful choruses. If you’re looking for new music to add to your collection, look no further as this album has it all for Power Metal fans, including a guest spot from the founder of Helloween. NorthTale – Eternal Flame is worth owning, so support the bands you love and buy the album.

North Tale band pic

Lineup

Mikael Planefeldt – Bass
Patrick Johansson – Drums
Bill Hudson – Guitars
Jimmy Pitts – Keyboards
Guilherme Hirose – Vocals

Guest vocals on “Future Calls” by Kai Hansen.
Guest guitar solo on “Future Calls” by Tim Kanoa Hansen.
Guest vocals on “Judas Be My Guide” by Jonas Heidgert.
Guest vocals on “Nature’s Revenge” by Mary Zimmer.

Eternal Flame – Tracklist

01. Only Human
02. Wings of Salvation
03. Future Calls
04. The Land of Mystic Rites
05. Midnight Bells
06. Eternal Flame
07. In the Name of God
08. Ride the Storm
09. King of Your Illusion
10. Judas Be My Guide (Iron Maiden cover)
11. Nature’s Revenge
12. Ivy (Outro)

Author

  • Bryce Van Patten

    Bryce is an audio engineer and a graphic designer here at Metal Express Radio. From the day he purchased his first album (Machine Head by Deep Purple), he has had a passion for heavy music, which has influenced his whole life. Bryce is from the great Pacific Northwest in USA, and has played in metal bands like Babylon, Holy Terror, The Wild Dogs, Warhead and Egypt through the 80s. He had his first interview for the Portland, Oregon publication The Rock Rag with guitarist Paul Gilbert in his Racer X days. Then he was honored to get to have drinks, and talk for an hour with the legendary Dan McCafferty of Nazareth for his second interview. In 2013, he spent an amazing hour talking to Andi Deris of Helloween, which was the high point of his heavy metal journalism.   In the year 2001, he formed Man in Black Music Publishing. They released recordings by several local bands, and in the spirit of the old Metal Massacre compilations, he created a 2-album series called The Defenders of Metal. The albums featured classic styled Metal bands from all around the world, with bands from Australia to England, and from Argentina to Russia. Currently, he is the producer/creator/vocalist of the Metal band The Black Tuesdays.

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