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Zeno Morf's Wing of Madness is an album that took some time to sink in. It has qualities of both 80s-style, Iron Maiden Heavy Metal and modern Power Metal in a Ravage, and maybe Angra, vein, being both "happy" and "aggressive," though not in the same song. The mix of styles left me a bit confused at first. It sometimes felt like there were songs from two different bands mixed into one album. The listening experience was a bit unfocused. This evened out after repeated spins.

The songs are decent but not exceptional. The heavier, Maiden-style tracks like "Riding the Tundra," or, as the band seems to sing "THundra," are powerful, with catchy choruses and great bass lines. "Wings of Madness" makes good use of double kick drums without sounding too much like a European Power Metal song. "Requiem" has a classic Maiden-inspired riff and rocks despite some lame spoken word parts. On the other hand, "Back on Your Feet" sounds like it came straight from L.A. circa 1986. The songs near the end of the album, "Suburban Warrior" through "Pleasure & Pain," are a notch below those at the beginning, so the album ends on a down note. The vocals are not immediately likeable, though strong and gritty when needed.

Wings of Madness is uneven, to be sure, but there is some decent Heavy/Power Metal within. I hope the excellent instrumental, "Badgers in the Attic," is an indication of what Zeno Morf has in store for their next album.