Cold Desert Moon

Stormhammer are one of innumerable power metal bands that have faded into obscurity simply because they are unrecognizable from the rest of the crowd. The aspects (or rather, non-aspects) that made their debut album bad make this second effort almost intolerable. The music on this record is some of the most boring I've ever heard, and that's just about the only way to describe it. Each and every song sounds generic and the same: uninspired tremola picking, trigger-happy double bass, lame, recycled solos, and a vocalist that sounds flat out bored. The only thing that these guys might have actually had going for them, the catchy choruses: well, they are pretty much nonexistent here. The track "The Law" almost achieves this, but alas falls short. Each track is lined up in stereotypical fashion: rocker, rocker, rocker, ballad.... and follows that same pattern throughout. In all honesty, you could sit down and map this entire album out without having heard it once. Seriously, this is one of the most boring, generic, and worthless albums I have ever heard. In a field such as power metal where so much has been done, we need bands that are going to at least try and stick out a little bit. This one just follows the pack. Even if you love power metal to no end, pass this up. You aren't missing anything. Go get some Blind Guardian.

Standouts: The Law (I guess)