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ADAMANTIS “Reforged”
ADAMANTIS “Reforged”
By Iron Sheik
ADAMANTIS, hailing from Brighton, MA, return with a blisteringly bold heavy metal album reminiscent of some of the 80s greats on their new effort “Reforged”. If you like traditional metal of the 80s like JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, and MALICE or newer bands like PRIMAL FEAR, IRON SAVIOR and especially GAMMA RAY this album is for you. Guilty pleasures like sword and sorcery, fantasy, literature and even history abound on “Reforged”. Screaming from a place that will make you want to stand and shout along, Adamantis are heading for the kill.
With all of the above said, I have to turn back to their beginnings briefly. I am not familiar with their debut “Thundermark” EP with Ashley Caval on vocals from 2018 as I only discovered them with the 2020 release of their debut album “Far Flung Realm” which is an excellent slab of heavy metal itself. I thought they are a band to watch out for in the coming years. Their debut full length album was also the debut of new lead singer Jeff Stark. Their next release, 2022’s “The Daemon's Strain” EP would be their final one with their bass player and guitarist paving the way for the lineup on their newly forged release of “Reforged” in early 2025. “Reforged” features vocalist Jeff Stark alongside a revamped lineup of Evgeny Gromovoy on drums, Javier Estrada on guitars, Alex Scofield on bass, and Vance Simmons on guitars. This quintet with the addition of Vance and Alex brought into the fold are blazing hot on “Reforged”, their first effort together and first full length album in five years. So let's look in on what these blacksmiths are offering on “Reforged”! .
Opener “Ride For Ruin” a short bass and drum intro quickly gives way to what ADAMANTIS are here for. Jeff Loomis of NEVERMORE and ARCH ENEMY fame plays guitar on this track only. Thundering, galloping and "shaking the ground" they are letting the listener know they mean business. “Steelclad” continues the frenetic heavy pace already established. Calling out "greedy dealers" and "smiling demons, they profit from misery" a warning is put forth. “Funeral For A King” is a short instrumental that sounds like a longing call for the masses to gather. “Reforged” is a call "to be heard across the land."
Next is “The Sailor On The Seas Of Fate” which kind of slows things down into a mid-paced style yet is no less of a hammered out piece than any other track on the album. “Time Of Contempt” is another track in that mid paced structure with spurts of speed. Even though the drums are kicking in high gear the guitars are playing along making it sound slower and more direful. “Gates Of Miklagard” is the longest track at 7:47 and returns to the galloping pace of the early part of the album. "We will defend our pledge." "And in glory we stand" to "defend you...loyal...true..." Mission statements that sum up the album. “The Fall Of Asterius” is a bonus track. It charges along not being out of pace with the rest of the album. A fine closer of a track to a flawless album.
We have just experienced an superb album filled with great singing and harmonies, first-rate guitar playing coupled with an excellent bottom end. Hell, next to me anybody is superb, great, or excellent because I am not a musician or singer. I just know what sounds good to me, and I critique from that angle. Furthermore the flawless and unequaled ADAMANTIS are beating down the door of the furnace. That being said what we just heard on “Reforged” by Adamantis is a blistering galloping throwing down of the gauntlet of 2025 heavy metal. To whomever said rock is dead, obviously doesn't have an ear or an open mind. As much as rock and metal have evolved, faded into the background or been in the fore-front there is still that call that beckons those of us that do have an ear, an open-mind, and that do listen for heavy metal's primal propulsive urge. Adamantis show that metal is very much alive, and it is in no fear of going anywhere soon nor that is it anywhere near dead.
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