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A band criminally neglected and sorely underrated, Sweden's Nostradameus are normally seen as runts in the Power Metal genre. The Third Prophecy is my first experience with these guys, an album I bought solely on the strength of track "Randall Flagg." After playing through this once I put it up on the shelf, appeasing my metal hunger with albums I believed at the time had more to offer. A few weeks later I dusted this album off, popped it into the CD player and I must admit I was floored. What on earth had possessed me to shelve The Third Prophecy so prematurely is a sheer mystery to me.

Crushing you where you stand, "Far Too Strong" is a truly epic opener. The vocal work of singer Freddy Persson is top notch, sounding very much like countryman Urban breed. Strangely. it's the slowest track the album has to offer, although it sets you up for the assault to follow. I see "Randall Flagg" as a recent Power Metal gem with raging sticks work, smoldering leads and a sick chorus - it's the sonic equivalent of an ass-kicking. It's very rare I will buy an album on the strength of one track alone. "The Future Will Show" sounds quite like Gamma Ray, featuring the best solo on the album. Did I mention this album had fucking balls? These guys definitely know when to put the pedal to the metal, "Revenge Is Mine" being a prime example, or the speedy "Those Things You Did".

Overall I have to say The Third Prophecy is a very impressive release that no Power Metal fan should be without. I definitely recommend buying this album; just don't cast it to the back of the pile like I did. For fans of artists such as Nocturnal Rites, Tad Morose and other more "powerful" Power Metal acts. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Stand out tracks: "Randall Flagg", "The Future Will Show", "1986" and "H.M.S Ulysses"