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Of Angels and Snakes is the debut album for this new outfit from Germany that plays some decidedly old school heavy metal. The songwriting has an epic vibe aided by a minimalistic production that puts the instruments and vocals right in your face. The singer has a somewhat unique voice that at times has the same "reedy" quality as the legendary Mark Shelton. He's got power and charisma but a little less control than the music deserves, so that is something to work on. "Pay for Your Sins" has the thrumming riffs and soaring vocal lines of mid-80s Iron Maiden (think "To Tame a Land") while "Blink of an Eye" has more of the down and dirty speed and intricacy of early Manilla Road. Not that Goblins Blade is on par with either of those bands yet, but there is potential. I refrain from saying they need polish because the rough edges are a big part of Goblins Blade's appeal, but a little fine-tuning on the vocals and songwriting could take them to another level on a future release. Epic and traditional metal fans should be giving this one a good, long listen.