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This band came out of nowhere and surprised me with a smart, sharp debut. Seven Kingdoms have been gigging around in their home state of Florida for a while, and now they finally have a proper debut in the self-produced Brothers Of The Night.

Seven Kingdoms are obviously very into early Blind Guardian, as they walk a similar line between Thrash and Power Metal proper. The superior guitar work of Mastermind Camden Cruz is a big part of this, as he sets the sound with inventive riffing that alternates quite smoothly between clean Power licks and a heavier Thrash attack. Opener "Eyes Of Summer" is a smooth, catchy tune, and the second track starts out almost like Death Metal with shredding riffs and growling vocals. Singer Bryan Edwards substitutes diversity for raw power, and he keeps up with the dynamic music with either clean or creditable harsh vocals. He may not have the force of some other singers, but he carries the performance with charisma and style. The songwriting is strong, with some cool riffs and excellent leads. Songs like "Eyes Of Summer", "Blackwater Rush" and "The Bloody Meadow" showcase what this band can do. The switch between clean and thrashy sometimes makes the songs sound a bit disjointed, but Seven Kingdoms are clearly pushing for their own sound, and a real compliment I can give is that this band doesn't really sound like anyone else.

A very strong debut from a band to watch, this CD can be had from them directly, and is definitely worth the investment. This was recorded at the venerable Morrisound Studio, so it sounds great, and the artwork and layout are very pro. Power Metal fans who like some meat on their music should get into this.