I’ll level with you, dear reader. When I get sent something tagged as Power Metal, my first instinct is usually to hesitate. Not because I hate the genre — far from it — but because Power Metal is one of those tricky bastards to get right. Unless your name is Dragonforce, there’s always the risk of disappearing down a rabbit hole of wanky self-indulgence, endless fretboard noodling, and vocals so overblown they could probably shatter a pint glass at fifty paces.
But every so often, a band comes along to remind me why people love Power Metal in the first place. A band that manages to keep all the spectacle and grandeur without losing the grit, the muscle, and the energy that makes Heavy Metal, well… Metal. Tales of Destiny are one of those bands, and their album Ashes of Destiny is a shining example of how to do Power Metal right.
What sets Tales of Destiny apart is their refusal to box themselves in. Yes, this is at its heart a Power Metal record, but it’s laced through with the kind of Thrash sensibilities that stop it from ever feeling flimsy or lightweight. The riffs don’t just gallop — they snarl, they bite, they carry weight. You can feel the influence of classic Thrash running like a current beneath the surface, giving each track a backbone of aggression to balance out the soaring melodies and anthemic choruses.
The vocals, too, deserve special mention. Yes, there are those vocal gymnastics we all associate with the genre, but here’s the thing: they’re bloody good. Instead of feeling overcooked or unnecessary, they add to the drama, lifting the songs into the stratosphere without ever drifting into parody. It’s a performance full of control, range, and passion — exactly what you want when the music itself is aiming for the epic.
And epic really is the word for Ashes of Destiny. From the galloping rhythms to the blazing solos, from the thunderous percussion to the moments of melodic grandeur, this is an album built to make you feel ten feet tall. It’s the kind of record that makes you want to charge into battle, sword aloft, cape billowing behind you — but it also has enough grit and crunch to keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.
What’s most impressive is the balance. Tales of Destiny know when to lean into the melody and let the drama fly, and they know when to strip it back and let the riffs do the talking. That sense of contrast keeps the album dynamic and engaging from start to finish. At no point do you feel like the band are showing off for the sake of it; every note, every scream, every blast of double-kick drumming feels earned.
In short, Ashes of Destiny delivers everything you want from Power Metal while dodging the pitfalls that so many other bands stumble into. It’s powerful, it’s melodic, it’s dramatic — but it’s also grounded, aggressive, and full of fire. Tales of Destiny have found that sweet spot where spectacle and substance meet, and the result is an album that deserves to be celebrated.
Ashes of Destiny is available on September 26th.
CHOICE CUT: For My King
The Black Metal Archives Verdict: A triumphant blend of Power Metal and Thrash sensibilities, executed with passion, precision, and just the right amount of theatrical flair.
PRESS SOURCE: Cátia C./Against PR.
