Review by Adam M on September 2, 2020.

Manticora have a dark element to their power metal sound and it makes them very intriguing. One can detect a hint of the progressive style of Nevermore in their sound and this aspect alone raises them above so much other cheesy power metal.  There is just a much more gritty feeling to the music that makes it appealing.

Songs tend to be longer and more developed than the typical power metal effort and this shows their prog side. For an example of this just see the first track 'Katana – The Moths and the Dragonflies/Katana - Mud' which is a nice way to open the album on a strong note.  The variety present on the disc means it very rarely gets old and something original to offer around every corner.  Investigating the musicianship, one can hear the dark aspect of the vocals, which liken them to Warrell Dane’s.  Otherwise, the guitars are crisp and in the forefront and move the songs along nicely.  Similarly, the drumming is very strong and holds the songs together.  The musicianship is impressive, but it’s the songwriting that makes this act so much more potent than other power metal acts.

Not only is the band tight, but there are a number of nuances to the music that elevates it so far above the norm. When all the pieces are added together a very strong creation of power metal mixed with prog can be found. The dark Nevermore style prog attribute melds nicely with the upbeat aspect of power metal to create a strong effort. The amount of variety present is nice and this mixed with a dark atmosphere makes for a cutting edge power metal release. Fans of progressive and power metal should easily find something to like with this album and gobble it up.

Rating: 7.6 out of 10