Free Spirit Soar
It would be easy to go down the rabbit hole of Warlord's history but suffice it to say that very few bands enjoy such an outsized legend based on such a small output of material as this band that, until the year 2002, only had an EP, a live album, a couple of original singles and countless compilations of the same 8-10 songs to their credit. Since 2002, they've released four albums (one a re-recording of old songs), culminating with Free Spirit Soar, which is the first Warlord album not to feature founding member, guitarist, and songwriter Bill Tsamis, who passed in 2021. The three albums prior to Free Spirit Soar have paled in comparison with the band's classic material, despite the presence of Tsamis and original drummer Mark Zonder, bringing little value to Warlord's catalog.
Free Spirit Soar is different. Utilizing songs Tsamis wrote and recorded demos for, and incorporating Tsamis' actual playing, when possible, Zonder, Alcatrazz keyboardist Jimmy Waldo, bassist Philip Bynoe, guitarist Eric Juris and singer Giles Lavery, the latter a good approximation of all the original Damiens from the band's early days, have crafted an album that actually sounds like Warlord. When I listen to Warlord, I want to hear Zonder ringing the cowbell and playing snare riffs, I want to hear pensive keyboard intros, and I want to hear somber vocal lines followed by explosive and catchy guitar riffs and solos, and that's what we get on Free Spirit Soar. "Behold a Pale Horse," "Worms of the Earth," and the title track feature a lot of vocal lines and guitar phrasing that easily evoke Deliver Us. Warlord's usual epic vibe to the songwriting is here, but also some modern power metal as well, so occasionally I hear newer Helloween, Riot V, and Jack Starr's Burning Starr in spots. Not everything on here works and some songs aren't as catchy as others. In particular, I found "Revelations XIX" particularly heavy-handed in terms of lyrics, which may be about the crusades but also seem to have some modern-day inflections that come across preachy, but thankfully this one is in the minority on Free Spirit Soar.
With Tsamis gone, it is unlikely Warlord will ever match their classic material, but Free Spirit Soar is most definitely in the same ballpark, so if you are a fan that hasn't been impressed by any of the releases of the last 20 years, don't let that stop you from checking this one out.
