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What the Hell happened? After "The Fire Of Awakening" I admit I had a high expectation for this one, as I thought that was one of 2003s best albums. But it seems Rob Darken has slipped up and produced a very silly and dull CD. I hate to say it, and I will not give up on this band yet, but "Dawn Of Iron Blades" is just terrible. At least by an standard of comparison with former works.

It starts with the guitar tone – what the Hell is that supposed to be? Instead of the epic riffs of the last CD or the angry Black Metal blast of the old days, we get this smoothed-out guitar sound play simple and boring riffs that sound like session rejects from the Smashing Pumpkins. Rob's vocals were never a big draw, but here he has added these ridiculous falsetto squeals to the mix that sound like King Diamond being poked with a sharp stick. The first two tracks here are the worst: "Iron In The Fog" and "Semper Fidelix" are interminable and tedious, with lots of horrible screeching. "Immortal Bloodline" is better, but still boring, and the end is infested with more squealing that sounds like a horse caught in a brushfire. Utterly gone are the epic choirs that made "Fire Of Awakening" sound so huge. In general, the album gets better as it goes along, but by the end you just want it to be over. "Dawn Of Iron Blades" is like one long song that just doesn't go anywhere. Again, I hate to say it, because I love this band. But this album is a major disappointment.