Band:	Viathyn
Album:	The Peregrine Way
Style:	Progressive power metal
Release date:	August 2010

01. Antebellum
02. Heathen Arise
03. Sirenum Scopuli
04. Through The Orchard
05. The Oracle's Prophecy
06. Blackened Woods
07. The Twilight Haven
08. Frail Titan
09. Canvas
10. Antique Man

Settle down children - yes, this is power metal, and yes, it leans more toward the Euro style power metal a la Sonata Arctica or Stratovarius, but the music manages to still have some balls attached to it. Yes, their are bands aside from Blind Guardian that can still achieve this it seems.

To give you a little context of what the fuck it is we're talking about here, think about your typical euro power metal. Think of those fluffy, warm epic guitar leads, the type of music your girlfriend considers too effeminate. Now, think of decent power metal, the type that makes you wish your mom let you play with your Lord Of The Rings replica sword outside. Now think of the halfway point between those two - and you're there! Those welcoming epic leads laid over top of some heavy chugging delivered in a progressive manner. The uber-Celtic riffs are catchy enough for the melodic crowd, while the high speed double-bass drenched segments will appeal to those who miss the metal in power metal. The Peregrine Way definitely comes across as something that would be of interest to the Blind Guardian demographic (a little more scaled down without the 10, 000 layers of tracking, mind you.)

A perfect debut? Hardly. While the fact that this is a debut is extremely promising, it's far from perfect. Most noticeably, the production does not do this band justice at all. It's pristine, clear, and deep enough until the complex prog moments, when the whole thing starts sounding like a big jumbled mess, each instrument fighting to be heard amongst the rest. Luckily, the band seems to value their strengths (that being catchy leads), so these moments happen only briefly.

So you don't like power metal? Then you won't like this album, let's not be fucking stupid. You like power metal? Then Viathyn's The Peregrine Way is definitely worth a look-see. Simple as that.