If you think that Children of Bodom’s latest release was a bit bland. Amon Amarth’s new album was not brutal enough and Arch Enemy seem to be sounding more like my little pony with each release – then Shattered Skies by Darkest Horizon is the stellar new melodic death metal gem for you! Containing sharp needle like guitar riffs, ballsy low vocal growls and a pounding rhythm section, this new EP by Darkest Horizon has to be one of the most memorable releases of this year and is jammed full of some of the finest examples of a melodic death metal you will ever hear!

To say this German band have only been round for two years is quite outstanding. They sound like they have been together for at least ten and each individual part fits together like clockwork. Sure it may be just another melodic death metal band but there is something about Shattered Skies that makes this EP special, and it’s the fact that there are so many great catchy songs on it such as ‘A Sacrifice Divine’ and ‘Ad Astra’ which will have you singing along to the crushingly heavy melody line in no time, even if you don’t think you can class what the vocalist is doing as “Singing”.

The little keyboard flourishes on this album really does add a bit of sparkle to these songs and adds a power metal touch to songs like ‘Ruins and Reveries’ and ‘From Beyond’ sounding like the spawn of Power Quest meeting In Flames. It sounds brilliant and really does compliment the aggressive, charging chug from guitarists Olli Satler and Daniel Baum. The keyboard lines are there to add interest to the music not to overpower it, and that is what Darkest Horizon best are at. Delivering a beautiful keyboard line, that accompanies the rest of the music.

Singer Aurelius Lie is one of the best melodic death metal singers you will ever hear, and that is no lie…… you like what I did there? He puts so much raw power, force and aggression into every single note he bellows out. He is a cross breed between Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom and Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth mastering the high pitched screams and the low bear like growls that are needed to be a successful melodic death metal band.

Darkest Horizon are only a small band and seen as they have only been formed for two years shows that they are serious about the music. With great riffs, catchy choruses and shimmering keyboard lines, it is your duty as a metal head to go out and buy this melodic death metal masterpiece! [9/10]