EXCALION – Once Upon a Time

EXCALION - Once Upon a Time album cover
  • 8.5/10
    EXCALION - Once Upon a Time - 8.5/10
8.5/10

Summary

Label: Scarlet Records
Release date: March 24, 2023

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One of Finland’s best kept secrets; Power Metal band Excalion are releasing their 6th full length studio album Once Upon a Time on Scarlet Records. Following up on 2019’s Emotions, the band has returned with a powerful, well written, very well produced album. This reviewer was surprised by the scarce amount of information available on Excalion, as their official website hasn’t been updated since February of 2019, and the only place to glean info about the band is on their sole social media page on Facebook. Surprising because of how good the band is, and how well produced their new record is.

About the Album

Once Upon a Time is an excellent collection of Power Metal songs that draw you in right away with catchy riffs, and then weave a spell musically that captivates the listener. From the first track on, Once Upon a Time showcases the amazing voice of Marcus Lång, as not only can he sing soft melodies, but gritty lines and Heavy Metal screams as well. All of this over the outstanding musicianship of the band comes together to create a very special album. Favorite track for this reviewer may be the title cut “Once Upon a Time” with it’s great vocal layers over the haunting theme, but the favorite seems to change with every listen.

Final Notes

Excalion may be Finland’s hidden treasure, but they shouldn’t be. Top notch songwriting, excellent musicianship on every instrument, and excellent production all come together on Once Upon a Time to give the listener a real Power Metal gem. Every song on the record has plenty to offer even the most discerning Power Metal connoisseur, so do yourself a favor and check out Excalion, and add their new album to your collection.

Excalion band photo

Lineup

Henri Pirkkalainen – Drums
Jarmo “Jappe” Myllyvirta – Keyboards
Aleksi Hirvonen – Guitars
Onni Hirvonen – Bass
Marcus Lång – Vocals

Once Upon a Time – Tracklist

  1. Keitele
  2. Resolution
  3. Soulbound
  4. Words Cannot Heal
  5. Amuse Me
  6. Once Upon A Time
  7. I Am I
  8. When A Moment Turn Into A Lifetime
  9. Radiant Halo
  10. Eternals
  11. Band Of Brothers

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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