Serpent's Kiss is the second album from Poland's Ironbound and continues where The Lightbringer left off, namely Maiden-inspired heavy metal. On this album, Ironbound have leaned into epic songwriting reminiscent of mid-80s Maiden songs like "To Tame a Land," "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner," and "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son." Lengthy cuts like "The Destroyer of Worlds" and "The Healer of Souls" have a similar combination of slower, introspective parts that transition into brisker passages that highlight the band's guitar work with the twin harmonies and leads. The vocalist is no Bruce Dickinson (but very few are, so no disrespect intended) sounding more like Timeless Miracle's Michael Holst and sings more from the head than the diaphragm but suits the music fine. Like the last album, there's nothing bad on Serpent's Kiss and it is not a chore to sit through (especially if you dig Maiden), but it doesn't do what it does so much better than other bands that it stands apart from the crowd all that much. Nevertheless, a solid album of '80s heavy metal is never a bad thing and Ironbound have the vibe firmly in hand.
