Pectora - Twilight Knights (2024)

★★★

Initially intrigued by the badass fantasy art, I gave this one a listen – optimistic, but still having some doubts and in the end, I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, this isn’t gonna win a contest for Best Power Metal Album of 2024, but it shows that PECTORA can write some great songs and keep the momentum going through a fairly long record. That being said, I will immediately contradict myself and say that some songs could have definitely been either shortened or cut entirely – and that’s not necessarily their fault, as many modern bands still try to stretch their records out past 45 minutes, even if it costs them some quality. All the elements of a great record are there: the soaring Helloween-esque vocals, the mean riffage, the powerful rhythm section, and some absolutely scalding solos that fuse melody and technical prowess into one big explosion. But once again, it’s that hindrance of length that knocks the album down a few pegs for both myself and others. If you’re looking for a fun power metal album with some traditional metal influence thrown in, I think it’s safe to say you should at least give this one a try.

FAVORITE TRACKS: “Twilight Knights,” “Children of the Atom,” “On Forlorn Wings”

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Originally published in April '24 (Issue No. 3)