• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Out of nowhere this comes, but it is not actually an album of new Cauldron Born material, rather this is a re-recording of the classic second album ...And Rome Shall Fall, originally released in 2002 on Underground Symphony and never again since. People have been clamoring for a repressing (and original CDs now fetch around $100 on eBay) but Underground Symphony seem to have no interest in doing anything with the rights, and they won't let go of them either, so Howie was left to find a way around them.

This also serves as a showcase for new guitarist Alex Parra and singer Matthew Knight, also of epic metal stormers Eternal Winter. Other members of the classic lineup have returned, making this a strong new incarnation of the band.

I was actually a bit hesitant about this, as the original is an album I treasure and have heard hundreds of times, so that every word and note is imprinted on my brain. I wasn't sure a re-recording would really do that justice, but I was wrong. The band sounds tight and heavy, with no sign that these are 20-year-old songs, and the drum production is a vast improvement over the cheap-sounding triggers of the old days. Knight more than proves himself, with plenty of charisma and range, hitting all the highs and then some, as well as having a meatier lower register than former singer David Loudon.

This is a work obviously undertaken with real love for these tunes and a desire to give them their due. The differences from the original are minor, and are all improvements. Package that all up with a kick-ass cover and you have something True Metal fans should scramble to get their hands on.