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Victorius is a German Power Metal band that brings me back to a time when albums like Ecliptica, Theater of Salvation and Symphony of Enchanted Lands were all that you'd hear while riding in my car. Victorius' fourth album, Heart of the Phoenix, is all double-kick drums, high, clear vocals, sing-along choruses and crunchy, major chords on the guitar. The singer reminds me of Georg Neuhauser in his voice, his accent and even how he delivers his lines so obviously, Heart of the Phoenix has some similarities to Serenity. The almost unrelenting pace of the album, which I love, makes me think of what Serenity songs would sound like if Celesty played them. While Victorius is certainly in line with "happy" Power Metal, there's an edge to their sound and high fantasy songs like "Empire of the Dragonking" and "Heart of the Phoenix" are offset by grittier topics on tracks like "Die by My Sword" and "Virus." The songwriting isn't innovative but it is varied which, along with the band's energetic performance, means it doesn't get boring. Heart of the Phoenix breaks no molds but it is Power Metal done right.