The truth is that there is a vast number of heavy metal releases at the moment, coming out every single month. That is a good thing of course for our favorite music, which is alive and kicking but on the other hand there is a specific drawback. It is extremely difficult for someone to listen to all this material.
In the Forgotten Scroll team, we cover and present / review a massive amount of releases every year but sometimes it is inevitable a release that is indeed very good to go ‘’under the Radar’’.
That is a common problem nowadays for independent releases that do not belong to a label that will professionally promote the release through the appropriate channels, in an efficient way, because the band itself should stay focused mainly on the music and leave the other burden to the professionals and their label.
Why am I mentioning all these, as a prologue to this review?
Well, the reason is, because this specific release is a ‘’buried’’ little diamond that had to find ‘’its way to the sun’’ and deserves to shine accordingly.
THE PREACHER is a heavy metal band from Medellin, Colombia and ‘’The Final Attack’’ is their sophomore full-length album. The quartet that is consisted from Johan Clavijo (vocals), Diego Garcia (guitars), Cesar Guerra (Bass) and Jorge Grajales (drums) initially issued the album independently and only digitally on the 5th of April 2024.
The album was ‘’discovered’’ through the NWOTHM Full Albums youtube channel by the newly founded Portuguese label Mina de Aço and in the beginning of 2025 the time has come for the album to be properly released also into physical format as well.
First of all, in terms of experience and songwriting the band, in comparison to their debut full-length album seven years ago (2018 – ‘’Burn My Soul’’), has done many steps ahead, although they had shown their potential and talent in their first attempt to present their music in a good album.
The new – second album is way better in each and every aspect concerned.
After the ‘’ Ein Sof Overture: Beyond the Soul’’ intro track, the album starts dynamically with the song ‘’Mr. Evil’’. From the first moments of the song, the listener can understand that here the production is solid and a serious work has been made with all the existing beautiful guitar work. The voice is high pitched, the way I like it and the song has a catchy anthemic chorus.
Next follows ‘’Stay Down’’ which is one my favorite tracks. The song is mid-tempo and reminiscent of CRIMSON GLORY and Midnight’s timber in the voice of Johan Clavijo. Again, the guitar themes are captivating. ‘’Media Crimes’’ which comes next, has a fast-galloping rhythm, with an anthemic chorus that is accompanied by a beautifully crafted solo that has a nice melody.
‘’Don’t Wait Another Day’’ is another highlight of the album, which starts with a mid-tempo dark menacing riff that brings in memory SANCTUARY and the voice definitely reflects memories of Warrel Dane’s way of singing. I don’t want to repeat it again and again but the solo is once more brilliant!
As we immerse deeper in the music of the album, it’s time to listen to a wonderful power-ballad called ‘’Screaming At Night’’ that is introduced by a magical piano melody and the amazing fist pumping, heart-touching guitar solo.
The following song, ‘’ The Battle Of Hemispheres’’, I suppose, reveals the influences of the band from classic bands like DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, and the riffs from Richie Blackmore, while on the other hand the crafted progress of the song is kind of reminiscent of QUEENSRŸCHE in the ‘’Rage for Order’’ era.
The album title track ‘’The Final Attack’’ is a wonderful song, with gripping guitar work and remarkable vocal performance, that is divided in three acts and lasts around 9 minutes and definitely shows the band’s capacity and potential in splendid songwriting.
It is followed by the beautiful instrumental song ‘’As Within, So without’’ where the listener has the opportunity to relish once again the dazzling guitar work and solos. The final song ‘’Find Your Own Light’’ is a fast tempo powerful song with Midnight / Geoff Tate style vocals and literally the best way for the finale of this album.
The album is definitely worthy of being ‘’discovered’’, listened to and appreciated accordingly, especially from US Power Metal fans, because it is checking all the right boxes that define the compelling musical beauty of the genre.
‘’ The Final Attack’’ has been released on physical format, on the 13th of January 2025 by Mina de Aço and is available on CD, while the music of the band is also available on Digital format (as of the 5th April 2024).
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Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
