Band:	Olympos Mons
Album:	Conquistador
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	October 2004

01. Seven Seas
02. Stars
03. The Last Light Of The Moon
04. Wanted Man
05. Black
06. Through The Ice And Snow
07. Black Desireé
08. Cleopatra
09. The Princess Of Saba
10. Lady In White
11. Conquistador

Hey, before you turning away from this, you'll have to understand that this is not the usual Finnish Power Metal, that's so overcrowded so you want to throw up, these guys are really something.
The way they're playing making me feel the kind of feeling I had back then when I started to love Power, the feeling of originality.

Formed in 2002, Olympos Mons (The highest mountain on Mars and the largest volcano in the known universe) released their first demo the same year.
Ian E. Highhill and Jari Sundström (the creators) themselves produced this debut and it's mastered by Nino Laurenne (from the band Thunderstone) and released through Limb Music.

With aggressive guitars, smart arrangements and songs that really blow you away, Olympos Mons took me by storm.
When I was expecting the usual, old and boring Power, Olympos Mons really surprised me.
I read on a fellow Metal site were the reviewer thought of Grave Digger when he heard Jari play his guitars.
Personally I think there are some major difference between Jari's and Manni's playing, first of all Jari doesn't play as aggressive and then is Olympos Mons a Power Metal band, that means that the music is more melodic. Finally doesn't Jari play as "scratchy" as Manni.

Musically it's aggressive, Symphonic Heavy/Power Metal they play, bands like Stratovarius crossed with a bit of Grave Digger and some influenced of the usual Symphonic bands.
And Ian, the singer, got the typical Finnish touches (the accent). He together with the perfect fitting choir's makes this album special. The choruses are one way to let the music speak, they often uses the choir in the choruses, and believe me, it couldn't be much better, just listen to "Black" or "Cleopatra" and you'll understand.

Cleopatra, yes, Olympos Mons here sings about at least five different women, except Cleopatra its "Black Desireé", "The Princess of Saba", "Lady in White" and the Queen of Spain in "Conquistador".
The lyrics in overall are very dark but in the same time romantic, and that's a perfect match for the Symphonic music they're playing.

To pick just a few favourites here is hard, believe me, there are no bad songs, absolutely no fillers (which almost every album has today), and over half of the songs here are killers, try Up-Your-Face Power Metal Killers, this is how Power should sound, this is how Power should be.
But if I shall try, I'll choose the first three songs, "Seven Seas", Stars" and "The Last Light of the Moon", that's all true killers. The music is brilliant, and the haunting choruses even better.
And the following songs are not bad, and the last one, the epic title-track, a +10minute song, is a perfect way to end the album.

If you're a Power Metal fan, as I am, and you've grown tired of the usual Copy-Power Metal bands that's out there today, try Olympos Mons debut album "Conquistador", this is together with Nocturnal Rites, Edguy and Celesty, is the best Power Metal album of this year, you can count on that.
This is a band I will keep my eyes on, with such strong debut I'm sure that they will grow rapidly the forthcoming years.

Check Out: "Seven Seas", "Stars", "The Last Light of the Moon" (In which the chorus reminds me of the Swedish Power Metal band Orphan Gypsy), "Black", "Lady in White" & "Conquistador".