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A lot of people don't seem to like Wotan, but then, a lot of people are retarded. I was a big fan of their debut Carmina Barbarica, and after an almost interminable wait, I have to say I am completely happy with their follow-up, the much anticipated Epos. Taking their Epic Metal thaumaturgy to new heights, Wotan have pulled out all the stops and made a truly great album.

This is Epic Metal to the bone: big riffs, operatic vocal lines, some really killer leads, and lyrics about war, war, and oh yeah, WAR. Most of these songs are slower, more midpaced numbers, with a few faster cuts like "Dark Centuries" and "Vlad Tepes", but really, the pace wanders all over the map, as these songs all have a lot of parts, with hammering, doomy riffs segueing into faster, razor-edge guitars and then back again. The vocals are just great on here, with plenty of high notes, sometimes carried to ridiculous extremes. I'd name standouts, but really, these songs all rule. "Mother Forest" with its gentle piano interludes, "Spartacus", the catchy "Vae Victis", and the 14-minute epic "Chanson De Roland", which never gets boring once.

If you are already a fan of bands like Doomsword, Icy Steel, Battleroar and others, then this is an album you need. Huge, complex, excessive and epic, Epos rules the Epic Metal roost this year, no question. Essential.