Altaria are a Finnish power metal band with an impressive and growing reputation both live and on album. They have put out 3 full-length studio albums to date and are currently in the studio writing and recording album number 4, due for release later in the year. So what is this release all about then ?? 

Well, they have a new frontman after previous vocalist Taage Laiho left the band at the end of last year. They have also been inundated with requests to make their first two albums available again as they only received limited releases originally. 

Accordingly, Divine Invitation takes the 5 best tracks from first album “Invitation”, the best 5 from second album “Divinity” and then bolts on 2 brand new songs with new singer Marco Luponero, as well as 3 unreleased demos from their first ever EP and 4 more from their second EP.  Altogether then you have 19 tracks covering every incarnation of the band since its inception, which is a great way to introduce yourself to them if they have escaped you thus far. 

Altaria are definitely one of the most accessible power metal bands around today, mixing as they do a healthy dose of melodic metal into the equation. There are plenty of moments where echoes of Hammerfall are definitely prevalent, but overall they are not as heavy as their Swedish counterparts. In fact they probably sit comfortably in the middle ground between Hammerfall and Brother Firetribe, with distinctive elements of both. 

Existing fans will undoubtedly be most interested to hear the two new songs on offer, “Keeper Of Mystique” and “Ball & Chain”, to get a first taste of the band in the Luponero era. Most noticeable immediately is that he has far less of a pronounced Finnish accent than his predecessor and his voice is slightly deeper and richer too. A good choice to move the band forward, if you ask me. The latter track has a very 80s Americanised feel about it compared to their usual style. I don’t know whether this is a new direction or just a one-off coincidence – I hope it is the latter as I do not feel it is what I have come to expect from Altaria at all. I guess time will tell on that one. 

Overall this is a great release for all those of you who have not previously crossed paths with this excellent Scandi metal outfit. It is equally of interest to existing fans to get their first listen to the new vocalist and also some of the older stuff in original demo form.

Divine Invitation is released on May 28th through AOR Heaven

Let us know your views on 'Divine Invitation'

Track Listing

Fire & Ice
Unchain The Rain
Darkened Highlight
History Of Times To Come
Try To Remember
Unicorn
Prophet Of Pestilence
Ravenwing
Innocent
Final Warning
Keeper Of Mystique
Ball & Chain
Fire & Ice
Innocent
Kingdom Of The Night
Unicorn
History Of Times To Come
Immortal Disorder
Emerald Eye