Genre: Epic / Power / Folk Metal
Country: Greece
Label: Iron on Iron Records
Year: 2016
Validor, or I should better say Odi since we’re talking about a strictly one – man band, became widely known in 2011 with his promising release “In Blood, In Battle” and even more, with his most commercially successful and utterly exciting release “Dawn of the Avenger” (2012). These two records have raised our expectations, along with the great anticipation. Four years later, Validor are back with the full length release at hand.
In “Hail to Fire” I would say that we have a result between the two predecessors. There’s the more epic atmosphere of the first album, but the most catchy and heavy / power moments of the second are floating around as well. Generally, one would say that this combination is a good thing. And indeed the release has its moments. There’s also the Greek folk element scattered from the introduction to the “To The Last Man” (which sounds like the “Zeimbekiko of Evdokia). Additionally, there is a fantastic tribute to Poledouris mainly with the “Winds of Atlantis / Under the Sign of Crom” and secondarily with the “Hail to Fire, Hail to Steel” and generally fans of epic sound will find many things to like. Somewhere there, however, lie moments we’ve listened to beforehand. A bit of Manowar, some Warlord, Manilla Road… The album in any case is not bad and it gets better and better with every hearing, but personally and influenced by its predecessor, I expected something more. The fans can invest fearlessly. I will be “hard” and will give a 3.5 / 6, because I see more possibilities.
3,5/6