Gamma Ray - No World Order

Following up an album as heavy and complete as Powerplant was bound to be a difficult task and besting it would be a nigh impossible one.  No World Order does live up to the Gamma Ray reputation, but it is more of a step to the side rather than a leap beyond Powerplant.  And that's fine because No World Order is filled with hard-hitting metallic gems just like you'd expect from Kai Hansen and crew.

After a pompous, operatic intro, the band's classy speed metal style is intact on the powerful "Dethrone Tyranny."  "The Heart of the Unicorn," despite the frilly name, is a pounding, mid-tempo rocker that could have come off of Painkiller.  Like all good Gamma Ray songs, this one features a catchy chorus that you will be singing along with before finishing your first listen.  The title track shows off some Maiden influences circa Number of the Beast, while "Damn the Machine" takes a far heavier and darker path.  "Solid" is basically a re-write of Priest's "Rapid Fire" and the similarities are almost a little too close at times.  "Fire Below" is another powerhouse mid-tempo banger and the album closes with "Lake of Tears," a full-on power ballad that is particularly satisfying.

With all the releases under their belt, it is easy to take a band like Gamma Ray for granted.  But if you sit down with No World Order and listen to it from the perspective of a brand new band that you've never heard before, it becomes clear just how incredible these guys are as musicians and songwriters.  The production is rock solid, the songs are catchy in the extreme and the playing (especially the solo spots) is simply amazing.  This may not have blown me away the same way Powerplant did, but it is still a damn fine album and the best power metal release I've heard in quite a while.