Trick or Treat - The Legend of the XII Saints
Genre: Power Metal -The contents of this full length, the band’s sixth, was released monthly as twelve consecutive singles, and they are all loosely connected to the signs of the zodiac. Much like fellow Italian act Skeletoon, Trick or Treat work under the age old adage and creed of making power metal fun again, and it comes through in every single aspect of this album. It’s every bit as fun loving as Skeletoon, Gloryhammer and Edguy while stylistically remaining firmly in the guitar based school of melodic power metal pioneered all those thirty odd years ago by Kai Hansen and his band of German misfits, adding bits and pieces of the likes of Sonata Arctica in the melodic play, coupled with lyrical imagery hinting at Rhapsody at times what with the legendary knights and warriors with which the album deals.
Opening track Aries: Stardust Revolution is just a blast of speedy, melodic power metal, thundering drums packing the fury of the storm. Add the the blazing guitars and lightning solos of Guido Benedetti and Luca Venturelli, the sweet lead guitar harmonies turning the soaring melodies into revelry in and of itself, and it’s just impossible not to get along for the ride as they pull one great solo after another. Vocalist Alessandro Conti is every bit as strong as ever, shining like the bright star he can be when given the right, epic backdrop (Twilight Force isn’t it.), his voice just made for those epic, melodic choruses this album delivers like nobody’s business. A guest spot by Yannis Papadopoulos (Beast in Black, ex- Wardrum) in Gemini: Another Dimension gives Alessandro Conti some needed dynamic flow as the back and forthsies highlight the strength of both vocalists, Papadopoulos tossing some high pitched power metal screams into the mix for good measure.
The album is somewhat overlong however, the twelve main tracks being bookended by an intro and a short ballad, landing the album at 14 tracks and over an hour’s runtime. Sagittarius: Golden Arrow, a semi ballad with epic overtones feels much like a natural closer especially with its heartfelt ending, so when Capricorn: Excalibur blasts open with speedy guitar harmonies it just seems excessive - great, but excessive. Sure, the following tracks are every bit as high quality as the rest of the album - hell, they’re some of the best cuts! - but they needn’t have tossed so much of it in there; or at least rearranged the zodiac a little to give the album a better flow. With The Legend of the XII Saints Trick or Treat pull a lot of neat tricks and cool ideas, especially dropping a single monthly leading up to the release of the full length (Thunder and Lightning did the same prior to their album The Ages Will Turn (2016)), but also just sticking to the roots of power metal through competent, honest songwriting while evolving their own sound and having a blasting good time of it.
Standout tracks: Aries: Stardust Revolution, Leo: Lightning Plasma, Aquarius: Diamond Dust
