Saint Deamon
Pandeamonium

Some saw them as the "new hope" of symphonic power metal, typical of Scandinavia. Called to be heirs of bands like Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica, now mired in absolute mediocrity, the Swedish Saint Deamon pleasantly surprised with their 2008 debut "In Shadows Lost from the Brave," considered a new milestone for this music genre, which itself had become bogged down due to countless irrelevant proposals and, at the same time, the mediocrity of the "great" groups.

The four Swedes reprise the winning formula of their debut, presenting straightforward compositions, with Andreas Johansson's guitar and Jan Thore Grefstad's voice in the forefront and the remaining instruments in the background. The keyboards also play a fundamental role because, thanks to a wise balance, they are never intrusive. The band's music, therefore, presents itself as partly recycled and partly personal, thanks to the ability to create easily assimilable songs that are at the same time marked by an aggressive and melodic attitude. It must be said, however, that the fresh wind brought to glory by the first album is set aside here due to songwriting that does not excite. Some songs are really well-crafted and played, others already start to feel old, like something listened to over and over again. For this reason, Pandeamonium loses, in my opinion, the comparison with In Shadows Lost from the Brave.

The premises for a great work are all there, starting with "Deception" and "The Only One Sane", two splendid examples of genuine power metal: catchy, fast, and accompanied by two excellent choruses. The title track does not make a mark, unlike "Eyes of the Devil", which starts with a killer riff and continues in the vein of the first two tracks. From here on, the general level starts to drop: the songs become a bit too similar to each other, and part of the genuineness of the first tracks is lost. To be clear, the remaining tracks are still acceptable and confirm the good that the band is capable of, but there is nothing that can be defined as groundbreaking. Good power metal and nothing more.

Pandeamonium is thus a work that is easy to listen to but becomes quite anonymous after a couple of listens. It flows quickly, simply but is less evocative compared to the debut. A misstep for Saint Deamon who, having been seen from the outset as the band that could revive the genre, may have rested a bit too much on their laurels. They need improvement.

1. "Deception" (3:53)
2. "The Only One Sane" (3:06)
3. "Pandeamonium" (4:02)
4. "Eyes Of The Devil" (3:12)
5. "A Day To Come" (4:33)
6. "Way Home" (2:52)
7. "Fallen Angel" (4:03)
8. "The Deamon Within" (3:47)
9. "Oceans Of Glory" (4:32)
10. "Fear In A Fragile Mind" (4:57)