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Herzel seem to be getting some attention for this debut album, and they deserve it. Epic Heavy Metal is a hard genre to nail, as you just have to do it right. There aren't any gimmicks to hide behind, you just have to write good songs, and Herzel have that down. This is very classic-sounding metal of the old school, drawing on influences as diverse as Manowar, Medieval Steel, Black Knight, and even Warlord. Vocalist Thomas Guillesser lends a strong midrange approach with some ethereal highs mixed in. He sings in French, but that doesn't hurt things, just making it sound more authentically medieval to my ears. The riffs gallop and thunder along, the leads are solid, and the production is just the right balance of stripped-down and polished. A band to watch.