Thomas Winkler is back with even more over-the-top fantasy power metal in his new project Angus McSix and the Sword of Power, an album filled with strong performances and a tongue-in-cheek approach.
By now, most in the metal community know the saga of Thomas Winkler and why he is no longer with Gloryhammer, so no need to rehash that here, but the general story of Thomas Winkler is an interesting one. In 2010 after being in a couple metal projects/bands, Winkler uploaded a YouTube clip of him auditioning for Dragonforce and was discovered by Christopher Bowes of Alestorm and asked to join Gloryhammer. Since 2012, Gloryhammer released three albums before Winkler left in 2021. In October 2022, Winkler announced Angus McSix band and characters would include guitarist Thalìa Bellazecca (ex-Frozen Crown), drummer Manu Lotter (ex- Rhapsody of Fire) and guitarist Sebastian Levermann (Orden Ogan).
For anyone who has listened to Gloryhammer, nothing on Angus McSix and the Sword of Power will come as a surprise in terms of song content, structure or quality. The band is great, production is clean, mixing allows every instrument to be heard, and the songs are as catchy as they are cheesy. When you have songs like “Laser-Shooting Dinosaur” which has a serious title and not an ironic one, you quickly get the idea about the band’s approach to the album. To the listener, this become crystal clear in the opening track, “Master of the Universe”. Winkler’s vocals are expertly delivered and do serve as a focal point for the songs on the album. Soaring choruses, a driving rhythm section, and of course, keyboards playing a key role in the overall sound that still does leave room for some blistering guitar solos.
“Sixcalibur” ups the ante even further, pulling out all the stops in dramatic flair and cheesiness and relies more on Winkler’s upper register where there is some channeling of Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) at times. On the surface, the song is an expert parody, but the listener can’t help but be drawn in. Just to prove that “Sixcalibur” was not the pinnacle of metal cheesiness, “Laser-Shooting Dinosaur” comes in loaded with keyboards and clichés and a ridiculously catchy melody. One can fully see songs like this being the soundtrack for some fantasy sci-fi kids cartoon.
The more one listens to the album, the more familiar the songs feel as the band gives a nod to probably every power metal group ever by borrowing bits and pieces from the encyclopedia of power metal and combining them in new ways. Yes there are definitely the cliché moments throughout the album but with respect to that the band never comes across as taking themselves too seriously while at the same time taking their performances very seriously. For instance, “Starlord of the Sixtus Stellar System” opens up almost like “Thunderstruck” (AC/DC) but quickly veers off in a completely different direction that like many other tracks is heavily fortified by keyboards. The end result is one of those songs you’d love to see live and would get pulled in shouting along. That being said, the odd autotune sounding vocals on “The Key to Eternity” lost me completely, so not everything will work for every listener.
Those looking for something to follow up Gloryhammer will find a lot to like in Angus McSix, but at the same time, power metal fans in general will also find a lot to like. With epic choruses, great guitar work, a heavy, pounding rhythm section, a sense of fun, and Thomas Winkler’s variety of vocals make Angus McSix and the Power of the Sword a great fantasy metal debut.
Written by John Jackson
Rating: 8.5/10
Tracklist
- Master of the Universe
- Sixcalibur
- Laser-Shooting Dinosaur
- Amazons of Caledonia
- Ride to Hell
- Starlord of the Sixtus Stellar System
- The Vision in the Fires (Intro)
- Eternal Warrior
- The Key to Eternity
- In a Past Reality
- Fireflies of Doom
- Just a Fool Will Play Tricks on Angus McSix (Bonus Track)
Band Members
Thomas Winkler – vocals
Thallia Bellazecca – guitar
Manu Lotter – drums
Sebastian “Seeb” Levermann – guitar
Release Date: April 21, 2023
Record Label: Napalm Records, 2023
Angus McSix online: Website / Instagram / Facebook / Bandcamp / Twitter / Spotify
Video for “Laser Shooting Dinosaur”
Video for “Sixcalibur”
Video for “Master of the Universe”