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I remember buying this on a whim after reading so many positive reviews, hailing Sweden's Lechery to be the new Accept. Disappointed though I was at first, I have to admit Violator does have its charms, even if they are buried below the surface. Riff-wise, this is very much in the UDO/Accept mould, with a few nods towards Dream Evil and HammerFall, keeping it in the mid-paced Power Metal camp for the most part, but bringing the intensity up during juicier segments. With a sound that is very big and 80s, I expect a lot of people will dig what Martin Bengtsson and chums have done here, but the blatant Accept worship isn't what shines about this release; it is the guitar melodies that hide under the choruses. They are intensely soulful, thick and vibrant, and frankly, it's what scored this album above one-point-five; they bring the imitation to life.

Accept fans will fall in love with this, as will anyone with a hankering for some melodic old school nostalgia. For me though, I'll stick to the bands it references.