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While—of course—this doesn't stand a chance against the marvelous work put out in the '80s by Fifth Angel, the band managed to do a great job in terms of mixing old and new, with flairs of their heydays and many modern elements that work today (not too many, thank Odin), which took form in a respectable and fun comeback.

Opener "Stars Are Falling" gives us a taste of what's to come by being a good balance between melodic and heavy, with Kendall Bechtel debuting his Dio-esque vocals on a high note. Catchy and relevant, the song chases away all doubts and proves that Fifth Angel is still in form.

Songs like "Can You Hear Me?", "Fatima" and the title track, though, lack in enthusiasm and are just too common and bland. In the final part the album takes a huge turn and these old timers grace us with the best songs here: "Shame on You" and "Hearts of Stone".

In the most US-Power way possible, both tracks are filled with pure, raw energy and represent the greatest side of a band like Fifth Angel: no frills, full-on bombastic attacks of inspiration and love for metal. "Shame on You" is faster and thrilling, and "Hearts of Stone", best song here, has a marvelous stride to it, with galloping riffs and vicious execution; both have that newer US-Power Metal vibe akin of Riot V and Attacker.

These guys have been away from the metal scene for more than 22 years, and to do a comeback like The Third Secret is no small feat. With brilliant guitar work and the overall songwriting being more than good, Fifth Angel has managed to gather some great material considering the circumstances that surrounded the band all these years. Like I said at the beginning, this won't touch the band's classic albums, but it's more than worthy of your attention when considering today's standards. Here's hoping that this is a fruitful and healthy comeback, and not just a swansong.