Heir Apparent
Graceful Inheritance

THE REVIEW

The Black Dragon Records label is known to die-hard metalheads for having released most of the works of Manilla Road, whose cult status among connoisseurs is never in question, and little else to tell the truth, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus certainly takes the lion's share, but purely in terms of quantity, the releases are few.

Nevertheless, there's fun to be had for those who love digging for small forgotten metal treasures. In the sparse catalog of the label, you may come across more or less rough or polished gems depending on your preference, still mainly within the early American metal realm, with abundant long hair and searing solos.

One of the mentioned gems is the debut of Heir Apparent, a band devoted to very evocative heavy metal. As a comparison, early Queensrÿche comes to mind, but Heir Apparent stands out for a particularly evocative sound, as mentioned before, airy, very melodic, and calm, which seems to be an oxymoron for any heavy metal band, yet this is precisely their strength. Intros based on arpeggios, very clean vocals never over the top, and a rhythm section never aggressive create a sound that is melancholic, majestic, light-years away from the all-steel and violence assaults of most bands of the time, the album is from 1986, and more in line with a progressive approach rather than US power or epic like Manilla Road. Songs that are ideal for narrating chivalrous deeds, where honor matters more than brute force.

Anyone who wishes to be transported to a distant past or mysterious perilous lands need only to listen, the experience will be very positive with this vintage calm heavy metal album.