At first analysis, the idea of modern metalcore colliding head on with the sleazy fun of W.A.S.P., Ratt and Kix is something that would give even the most open-minded metalheads a moment's pause. They'll scratch their heads and think "...how the hell would that even work Ant-man? Do they have breakdowns with a few gang choruses or something? Do they do meth and coke at the same time? Could my GF jam to dis sheet?"

I can give a tentative yes to the first of those things (and maybe that last one too), but that's only one of many interesting blends between these highly variable classes of headbang that you'll hear on Feel The Power. Tru-metal it ain't, but this album brings glam into the 21st century better than anything else I've had the pleasure of stuffing down my earholes, and that deserves a healthy stack o' kudos, because party metal this good is NOT something you'll find just lying around.

The two best examples of what I'm talking about here are illustrated oh-so-succintly in slam-dunk opener 'Deathwish' and the anthemic stampede of a closer 'Sleepless Nights'. The former's led by a deliciously layered call-and-reponse refrain and a helluva double kick and the latter is a near-Iron Maiden level melodic gallop that erupts into two utterly sublime guitar solos at the midpoint bridge.

Anyway, what separates this gem from the rest of the rockpile is the curious yet engrossing contrast between two very different paradigms of metal (contemporary metalcore and 80's styled hard rock/glam) and how these elements manage to play off one another in unexpected ways from song to song. Sometimes you'll get a chorus straight out the Killswitch Engage book of hooks set up against a Def Leppard wall-of-sound musical green screen, and sometimes you'll get something that sounds like Slave To The Grind meets Darkest Hour. Love it or hate it, you gotta give credit to these pioneers for taking ingredients that would normally sit rather awkwardly together on your musical shelf yet managing to make a pretty scrumptious sandwich out of them anyway.

As I said before, there's only a handful of really great modern AOR and glam groups around today to keep the flame alive, but this band is a wonderfully inventive example of the sort of fun you can have with some good songs and a great musical premise to play with. Now get to 'em!