For those who are maybe only just now discovering Sweden's Grand Magus through their latest CD Hammer of the North, Metal Blade have gone into the bands back catalog and remastered & reissued a few of their gems for new fans to discover for the first time. Grand Magus is the bands self-titled debut from 2001, and though it's not as polished and mature as some of their later efforts, it still shows a band that embraced their love of Black Sabbath and mixed that influence with classic metal elements for a style that commands your attention.
Grand Magus is a trio made up of guitarist/singer JB (ex-Cardinal Fang, Spiritual Beggars), Trisse on drums (since replaced by SEB), and bassist Fox. Together these three put together some sounds that are quite massive & powerful, which you can plainly hear on such tracks as "Legion", "Never Learned", and the crushing, doom laden "Black Hound of Vengeance". JB delivers riffs in the grand fashion of Iommi, but his leads are influenced by Hendrix, Trower, Marino, and Schenker, all of which give the guitar vibe a heavy 70's feel. His vocals are soulful but with a psychedelic edge here, as he doesn't quite rip into Halford territory as he does on later releases, instead opting for a more Ozzy/Coverdale/Marriott styled delivery. Many of the tunes are so groove laden and jacked with oozing crunch o rama that you just can't get them out of your head after a few listens. "Coat of Arms" is a perfect example, as JB's riffs grab you by the throat while the alluring melodies and faint Hammond organ just seep into your skull. Other highlights include the rampaging "Wheel of Time", the manic "Gauntlet", and the absolute doom classic "Lodbrok", which very well could be one of the best tunes this sub-genre ever had to offer. I dare you to come up with a riff more evil and crushing than this one! "Black Hole" and "Mountain of Power" close out the regular part of the album, two slow bruisers in the tradition of early Sabbath.
This reissue comes with two bonus tracks, the excellent psych-metal "Tale of the Unexpected" and the atmospheric "Grand Magus", both great additions to what is already a solid 2001 debut from this Swedish power trio. If you didn't get your hands on this little gem back in the day, make sure you scoop up Metal Blade's new addition.
Track Listing
1. Gauntlet
2. Legion
3. Never Learned
4. Black Hound of Vengeance
5. Coat of Arms
6. Generator
7. Wheel of Time
8. Lodbrok
9. Black Hole
10. Mountain of Power
11. Tale of the Unexpected [*]
12. Grand Magus [*]
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