When Angels Kill

Fourth album for Fifth Angel, who formed in 1984 and split up in 1989 after two albums, and now this is their second one since their return in 2017. We can't really say they're doing the retro thing since they were there back in the '80s except for the vocalist, who joined in 2019.

This is fun. Very upbeat heavy/power metal with super catchy vocal lines, and that vocalist really nails it; it's really hard not to get the urge to sing along throughout the who album. Simply put, this is an album very much like the more accessible heavy metal albums of the '80s (not talking glam here, but actual heavy metal), but modernized to some extent with some circa-2000 power metal speed and punch, so it's hard not to draw comparisons with a number of European power metal bands formed some 20-25 years ago. I find it's hard to stand still while listening to When Angels Kill because it's pretty much nonstop speed and energy, lots of cool guitar work and powerful drumming, and I must once again mention the vocals that are like the icing on the cake. Maybe they could have made the album a little shorter as it feels a bit on the long side, but then again there are no songs that are skip-worthy here. If you're into old-school heavy metal with a modern twist and a mix of power metal, you need to check this one out.