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Austria's Serenity set the bar pretty high with 2011's Death & Legacy and now they are back with War of Ages. The band has lost absolutely none of its ability to write some of the best Symphonic Metal songs on the planet. Every song on War of Ages crackles with emotion courtesy of singer Georg Neuhauser and newly-permanent female vocalist Clémentine Delauney. The two work wonderfully together to give the songs great depth. The rest of the band hold up their end of the deal admirably and the band's performances are as tight as ever. Where War of Ages trails its predecessor is in the songwriting which is a notch below Death & Legacy in majesty and catchiness. Sure, there are some epic themes on the "The Art of War" and "Legacy of Tudors," but there are also some less imposing topics in songs like "For Freedom's Sake." There are no bad tracks but some just a little "safe."

Serenity remains one of the top Symphonic Metal bands in existence and while War of Ages doesn't quite equal Death & Legacy, it nevertheless deserves a place in every fan's collection.