Band:	Gaia Epicus
Album:	Satrap
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	2003

01. Keepers Of Time
02. Heavens Gate
03. Fire And Ice
04. Inside The Storm
05. Die For Your King
06. Star Wars
07. Innovation
08. Cyber Future
09. Freedom Calls
10. Heavy Metal Hearts
11. Watch The Sky
12. 7th Millenium [bonus]

Founded by Thomas C. Hansen, Gaia Epicus is a Norwegian Symphonic Power Metal band. They play music in the style of speed metal bands like Gamma Ray and Helloween. After two demos, [Cyber Future and Keepers Of Time], the first album of Gaia Epicus Satrap was released in May 2003 [through Sound Riot Records].

First thing that I just want to point out: the magnificent artwork cover of J.P Fournier [Avantasia, Immortal, Freedom Call, ...] who just shows us that Gaia Epicus don't half-do things...

For the music, we got a pure Power Metal band, with big heavy riffs, fast tempo and thundering double drum kicks. With a lot of melody very catchy, Satrap is a very good album of Power Metal and tracks like 'Heavens Gate', 'Freedom Calls' or the Fantastic 'Star War' [a great power/prog song about the universe of the movie with fantastic guitar solos with some parts of the theme of the movie...] easily demonstrates it. The musicians are good [we got the guest appearance of Morty Black [TNT] for the bass] and there is no problem with a lack of technicality... This is just very good!

Well, if the quality of Satrap is in general very high, we got some bad points with this album. The voice of T.C Hansen is not very beautiful and sometimes it's a shame for an album of this quality. The production is not perfect, there is a good sound but with more work we should get a sound like the masters of Power Metal such as Gamma Ray or Helloween.

Finally, and this is the most regrettable, Satrap is not very original, but this is the first album of Gaia Epicus, and when I see tracks like 'Star War' or 'Heavens Gate', I'm sure that in the future we will have more originality.

In conclusion, the first album of Gaia Epicus is a very good surprise, and all the metal-heads who like Power Metal must buy it. There is some bad points, but the general quality of the CD carries it away. Gaia Epicus is certainly a band who must be recognized by the Heavy Metal scene.