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I loved this band's 2009 debut, An Age Undreamt Of, but I found their follow-up, Blood, Steel and Glory in 2012 just kind of unexciting, and I pretty much decided that their debut had been a one-off bit of brilliant homage. It took me a while to get around to this, and I am sorry it did, as Barbaric Mysticism is a seriously cool slab of barbaric Heavy Metal.

Now, Hyborian Steel are still essentially an Ironsword clone band, but they are a fantastic example, and considering how mediocre Ironsword's last album was, this is like a reminder of how to do it right. This album blisters with chugging, pummeling riffs and shout-along choruses that never fall into simplistic grooves or too much repetition. The energy level is high, and stays there through a slate of killer tunes like "Call of the Messenger" and "Knights of Steel". Really there are no filler tracks on here, and it remains a fist-pumping good time all the way through. Recommended for fans of Ironsword, Running Wild, and Omen.