• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Following an album as strong as The Last Millennium would be hard for any band, so we can forgive German metallers Chinchilla for not measuring up; but they gave it a damn good shot, and that's what we have here with their fourth record from way back in 2003, their first and last fully fledged concept album. Story-wise, we're talking the same apocalyptic material that graced their previous records, only there's more of a structure to this, with the songs moving the narrative along while still being able to kick the listener's ass with their powerful, no-bullshit style.

The production on Madtropolis is certainly better than any they had before, pushing the band into the same realm as most of the other Power Metal bands kicking about at the time. With their sound being closest to Edguy and Iron Maiden, there's a lot of clarity here, letting you hear everything that is going on without detracting you from the songs themselves. Keyboards are used more often than on The Last Millennium, and generally the songs are more epic and inventive, though still retain the straightforward and mid-paced Power Metal template that has been the staple of their discography.

There are some great metal songs here, particularly "A Dance With The Devil", "Money Rules Everything", "Turn Around The Magic Table" and the powerful "When The Sand Darkens The Sun", but as a whole, Madtropolis just isn't as catchy or agreeable as its predecessor. Perhaps it has something to do with the removal of the cool choirs they had on that album, or maybe because the grit that made it so satisfying has been stripped away. This makes the record, while still a good, head-banging listen, less immediate and more formulaic. Still, there is enough good stuff to make this a worthy addition to your collection, especially if you miss the days when Power Metal was about strong vocals and a Maiden-esque riff.