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Okay, okay, I admit underestimating this one the first time I heard it on MP3 many moons ago. I was so prejudiced by the dull "Dragonlord" that I didn't hear the brilliance of this one at all. Mea fucking culpa, okay? Everybody knows by now what kind of epic Power Metal Domine trade in. And after being so impressed by last year's "Emperor Of The Black Runes" I determined to buy this one and give it an honest spin.

Now there is some of the slower, more boring stuff on here, as sometimes when Domine try for epic they become far too ponderous. But there is also too much good stuff on here to ignore. After the expected intro bit, the riffs of "Hurricane Master" fire up and you're owned. Great fucking tune. And Domine don't stop kicking ass for a while, with killers like "Horn Of Fate", "Ride Of The Valkyries" and the excellent "True Leader Of Men". On this disc Domine remain as Elric-obsessed as ever, only taking a time out now and then for a little Norse myth and a bit of Dune-worship. "Bearer Of The Black Sword" brings the album down a bit, with a slow-moving, repetitive chorus and by going on too damned long. "Forevermore" is the requisite ballad, and it is just boring as well. The closing ten-minute epic "Dawn Of A New Day" is pretty good, but I don't think it's good enough to go on quite that long. So the second half of the CD loses some momentum. But the good stuff here is pure steel treasure.

Overall this is not as consistent as "Emperor", but the highs are a bit higher, and so this album emerges as one that can stand side by side with its excellent successor. If you love epic Power/Speed Metal with slashing riffs and killer vocal work, then "Stormbringer Ruler" is one you won't want to leave off your list. Recommended.