Maule is a Canadian band riding the traditional metal revival wave on their self-titled debut. They have a crunchier approach than a lot of their peers, with riffs and songwriting that approach thrash territory quite often. That’s not how I like my trad/epic metal, but it isn’t a bad sound. The songs are good but not overly catchy, with few leaving much of a lasting impression. I find the vocals to be yappy and slightly annoying, though I have heard far worse. The vocal lines don’t help, with some repetition here and there (like the chorus on "Summoner"). I realize that a few of the issues I have with Maule are personal preference, and it is definitely heavy and pugilistic. If your tastes run in those directions, you may well enjoy this more than I did, but I think there are things Maule needs to work on to make their next release better.