Ελληνικά
Genre: Heavy Metal
Country: Sweden
Label: No Remorse Records
Year: 2026
Mace ’N’ Chain approach heavy metal with a deep respect for its origins. Rather than treating the genre as a relic or attempting to reshape it through excessive technicality, the Swedish band focuses on the qualities that have always given heavy metal its power: commanding riffs, memorable melodies, dark atmospheres and a strong sense of drama. On Crowned in Grey Skies, these elements come together in a style that feels traditional, purposeful and highly cinematic.
Released by No Remorse Records on 26 June 2026, the album is the band’s second full-length release and features eight songs. Its foundations lie in epic heavy metal, though the music is enriched by darker shades borrowed from doom and more atmospheric forms of extreme metal. The result is an album that sounds rooted in the past without becoming trapped there.
From the very beginning, Mace ’N’ Chain create an environment filled with ancient ruins, violent weather and half-forgotten legends. The guitars dominate the record, moving between powerful mid-tempo riffs and broader, more melodic passages. These compositions are not concerned with speed for its own sake. Instead, they aim for weight and grandeur, giving the impression that every riff has been forged rather than simply played.
Atmosphere is arguably the album’s greatest strength. Although the band works within a traditional heavy-metal framework, Crowned in Grey Skies rarely sounds triumphant in a conventional sense. Its melodies often carry a sense of sadness, while the heavier and darker sections give the songs an additional dramatic dimension. The album’s style may appeal to followers of modern epic-metal acts such as Megaton Sword, Eternal Champion and Ironsword, while still retaining a distinct Swedish character.
David Nilsson’s creative direction is essential to the band’s identity. His background in Swedish death metal contrasts with his obvious passion for classic, sword-bearing heavy metal. However, Mace ’N’ Chain are not merely recreating an old formula. Their music feels sincere, especially in the way the arrangements give the riffs room to develop rather than overcrowding them with unnecessary detail.
“On the Howling Gale” is a particularly effective example. The sound of rain introduces the track before a storm-like riff takes over, transforming the weather imagery into music. This balance between delicacy and force demonstrates how successfully the band uses atmosphere as an integral part of its songwriting.
The album’s limited stylistic range may occasionally make it feel predictable, especially for listeners seeking experimentation. Nevertheless, its consistency is also a virtue. Crowned in Grey Skies remains focused, creating one coherent world from beginning to end.
Ultimately, Mace ’N’ Chain have produced a proud, melancholic and convincingly old-school heavy-metal album. Its strength lies not in novelty, but in the belief that a powerful riff, a memorable melody and a vivid atmosphere can still tell an entire story.
