The veterans of the Greek Heavy Metal scene return with their fifth studio album. They might not be the most productive group out there but that doesn’t mean that they are not occupied through concerts and the organizing of their own annual metal festival. Excileosis (redemption in Greek) is the successor to the very good Wreck the Eternal Tyranny album but although the core of the band remains intact (a very positive thing concerning band chemistry and sonic continuity), the five years of absence raise some questions.
The opener Judas (Rising) is more of an intro but manages to turn heads from the very beginning. At this point I would like to underline how important is the fact that the band has finally settled on the vocalist slot since after many line-up changes Kostas Tokas proves to be the ideal choice. Kostas is the star of Excileosis and a major factor in showcasing the compositions which bear the distinctive classic metal approach that Power Crue has to offer. The excellent vibes channeled from the very start, continue for the rest of the album (which is a concept one) and the listening session goes on with undiminished fascination. Reaching the end only led me to an undisputed certainty. This is the best album of the band, far from the second one. The amount of effort in every aspect of the record is obvious. Creating a concept album is a great challenge in its own right. But presenting the best album after 30 years of existence, calls for a respectful bow. Where others lay dry of inspiration, Power Crue matures and gets better album after album. Credit also needs to go to the experienced and skilled Makis Tselentis who handled sound engineering duties.