• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

I've been discovering this band all over again recently and when I found out that they had released a new album I just had to listen to it. I have not been following their career since Sangre de Reyes on and I didn't know what to expect. It's been nine years since that album was released and there have been major changes in Tierra Santa's sound. First off, the Iron Maiden influence that was so noticeable at the beginning of their career is much diminished. It doesn't mean that it is absent, but if you are expecting the same style as Tierras de Leyenda then you'll be disappointed.

Because of that, Caminos de Fuego doesn't have the overall speed and awesomeness of earlier albums. And that is to be expected; after all we are not dealing with a young hungry band with something to prove. With the exception of "El Ejército de las Tinieblas", the album is composed of mid-paced songs that rely on the vocal work rather than the guitars. I can't say if it is a good or a bad thing but it produces some interesting results. There are some highlights like "Arde Babilonia", "Eterna y Sagrada" and the title track. But overall I felt like I was listening to a rock album rather than a metal one.

That is what I found to be the most disappointing aspect here. It is not the full metal assault that I was used to hearing from these guys. Still, this is undoubtedly a Tierra Santa album as all the elements that made this band great are here. Spanish lyrics, mythology themes, the clear production and the guitar tone are all present. But at the end of the day they didn't produce anything magical or memorable, this is just an album that will appeal exclusively to their fans. If you haven't heard of them before, don't start with this album because it will give you the wrong idea.