Symphonic power metal seems to be an ever growing genre, and certainly its aided by an ever increasing flux of great bands. Formed in 2007 Signum Regis whom are a Slovak power metal band, who main core is melodic metal with a proficiency for shredding guitar bring us their latest release, “Flag Of Hope” EP. It is an album buried in the life line of Signum Regis, as they have developed their sound over the years. The “Flag Of Hope” EP was originally released digitally only in Fall 2020, But by popular demand, this specific EP I am reviewing is now released physically as a CD. In addition to that 2 tracks are now added to the tracklist! Songs “Tune Of War” and “Amorenada” were originally released on the Addendum Primum digital EP (2017), but never on a CD and fans were asking about this physical release too.
“Amorenada” is a beautiful instrumental song by Filip Koluš and “Tune Of War” is a groovy hymnic song, now re-recorded by Jota Fortinho singing lead vocals and Mayo Petranin singing backing vocals So for fans of the band, as well as folk who are been introduced to the sound of Signum Regis this EP offers an ideal landscape of the bands style and strengths over the years.
It was in 2007 that Ronnie König founded the band Signum Regis and together with the vocalist Göran Edman they started working on a self-titled album, which was released the following year through Locomotive Records. Other information important to note is that on September 11, 2018, the band informed on their official Facebook page that the lead singer Mayo Petranin was leaving the band. João “Jota” Fortinho became the new lead singer of Signum Regis in June 2019.
The song “Flag of Hope” which is track 4 on the EP`, and for me the centre or foundation stone of the album is a great reminder of the power of hope, and is an ideal song for the current times humanity has had to endure, and get through in this world. “For this song, we invited our good friends, singers, who are all somehow connected to Signum Regis. Göran Edman was the lead singer of the band in the early days and recorded with us the first and the second albums. Mayo Petranin (Castaway, Symphonity) was our lead singer between 2014-2018, Matt Smith (Theocracy) and Samuel Nyman (Manimal) were our special guests on the Exodus album (2013), David Åkesson has been working with us externally since our 2019 release The Seal Of A New World. And, Of course, our current lead singer, Jota Fortinho, is there too!
We are very happy that this little reunion took place and that we were able to make together some music again. It brought back a lot of good memories. On top of that all, we have André Hernandes (Andre Matos Band) playing tasty additional lead guitar. It’s quite clear already, that the year 2020 has not been a great one, we all know that. That’s why we believe a song about hope and not giving up is exactly what we all need to hear.
At the end you won’t hear anything spectacularly different from the guys of Sigmun Regis, but rather a culmination of special guests and songs that fit in the history or life line of the band. The title of the EP embodies the centre piece of the album in the form of the song, “Flag Of Hope” and carries a positive message that brings light and hope through its lyrical delivery, carried by a wave of shredding guitars to a world that in this moment needs all the hope and positivity it can get.
Rating: 7.5/10
Written by Donovan de Necker
Track listing:
1. Given Up For Lost
2. Stand Away
3. Yoyage to the Distant Shores
4. Flag of Hope
5. Tune of War
6. Amorenada
7. Ave Maria (Bonus Track)
Current members
Jota Fortinho – vocals
Ronnie König – bass guitar
Filip Koluš – guitar
Ján Tupý – keyboards and backing vocals
Jaro Jančula – drums
Guest Vocals
Göran Edman
Lance King
Michael Vescera
Matt Smith
Daísa Munhoz
Eli Prinsen
Samuel Nyman
Thomas L. Winkler
David Åkesson
Other
Libor Krivák – lead guitar (Symphonity)
Ivo Hofmann – keyboards (Symphonity)
Magnus Karlsson – guitar
Discography
“Signum Regis” (2008)
“The Eyes of Power” (2010)
“Exodus” (2013)
“Through The Storm” (EP) (2015)
“Chapter IV: The Reckoning” (2015)
“Decennium Primum” (2017)
“Addendum Primum” (EP) (2017)
“The Seal of a New World” (2019)
“Flag of Hope” (2021)
Release Date: 14 May 2021
Record Label: Beyond The Storm Productions
Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp / Spotify
Video for ‘Flag of Hope’
