Okay, let me be frank: power metal has never been my go-to sub-genre when it comes to metal music, even though I liked some of those landmark albums back in the day – y’know, “Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1” (1987) by HELLOWEEN, for instance. In fact, I still use that particular album as a yardstick for any contemporary power-metal affair, almost 40 years after its release. The better any newcomer adheres to its mythical and uplifting atmosphere, and to its sublime technical perfection (without going full-on pyrotechnical à la Yngwie Malmsteen with those neo-classical fretboard gymnastics), the more inclined I will be to like it. Now and then, along comes a band that manages to win my cynical, prog-elitist heart, and Finnish power-metal supergroup, METAL DE FACTO, could very well prove to be such a band if their new album is anything to go by. Set for release on March 6th, 2026, via Reaper Entertainment, “Land of the Rising Sun, Pt. 2” marks the next chapter in their epic tribute to Japan’s history, culture, and mythology. Guest musician Ryoji Shinomoto from RYUJIN features on some tracks, adding an authentic Japanese touch to the mix – so there’s no lack of mythical feel, that’s for sure. These rogues even cite HELLOWEEN as one of their influences, so the omens were pretty damn good, to begin with.
Right off the bat, the journey back in time begins with a thick slab of oriental mysticism as the first cinematic intro takes us deep into the realm of Samurai-themed movie soundtracks à la Hans Zimmer and Ryuichi Sakamoto. For starters, Shinomoto plays a simple motif, likely in some Japanese pentatonic mode, against the backdrop of ambient synth textures – and that’s all it takes to summon exactly the right oriental vibe. Those Japanese modes are actually pretty neat, just go and ask Marty Friedman! The title, “Sengakuji Temple,” refers to a famous temple in Tokyo, the graveyard of which is the burial place of the “47 Ronin,” the masterless samurai from Ako. When the song evolves into an 8-minute power-metal epic, you have to admire the seamless interplay between these oriental flourishes and the usual deliverables of the genre – the power-chord chuggathons, soaring guitar solos, and powerhouse vocals. It all works really nicely. Lastly, the Japanese voice-overs add the right finishing touches. As it happens, I have a soft spot for the oriental sound, probably thanks to Sakamoto‘s solo albums and soundtrack works, so I’ve got to hand it to the band – when it comes to making just the right first impression, METAL DE FACTO couldn’t possibly have faired better – and since I’m a prog snob, they get extra points for opening the album with a lengthy epic, too! Nope, I wasn’t familiar with their previous work at all – their debut “Imperium Romanum” (2019) and “Land of the Rising Sun, Pt. 1” (2024), but at this point, I couldn’t help but think that if this album kept up this good work, I might have to dig into them, as well. So, let’s see…
Rumor has it that the lead single, “Across the Milky Way,” was written for the previous album, but the band decided to give it some more tender love and care. In its refined form, the song unfolds like a pretty typical uptempo power-metal banger. For me, it sounds an awful lot like BATTLE BEAST with male vocals. While it’s not necessarily a bad song, it sure ain’t as unique as the opener, but I reckon the power-metal cognoscenti will love it all the same. I didn’t instantly fall in love with it, but I wouldn’t skip it either. Then, its follow-up track, “Gojira,” seems to continue on the same footing, at first; further into the song, it evolves into a somewhat more rhythmically varied affair. The song title is not a reference to the French prog-metal juggernaut, but rather the original Japanese pronunciation of Godzilla. What I found particularly delicious was the bass tone, courtesy of Sami Hinkka (ENSIFERUM), but I guess we couldn’t expect anything less than pristine sound policy from a musician of such stature. The first verse, driven by only the drums, bass, and vocals, is where it shines, especially. I mean, we’re talking about a colossal bass sound, here – something in the vein of vintage Chris Squire and the like!
The rest of the album pretty much follows the unholy tenets of the genre. “Pen Is Mightier Than Sword” triggers subtle STRATOVARIUS flashbacks, for example. However, to give credit where it’s due, METAL DE FACTO has placed nice “outliers” in just the right places to break up the steady-rolling staccato riffing. You know, it can become a tad overwhelming to listen to a band punching out sixteenth notes non-stop, one song after another. There is a short, instrumental interlude, “スズメの群れ,” in the middle of the selection. The translation of its title was pretty hard to come by – “Flock of Sparrows” was the closest I could find, but there’s no way of knowing, for me at least, whether it’s right or not. Its mellow soundscapes break the unrelenting riffing pretty nicely. Then, toward the end of the affair, there are a couple of power ballads. Two is quite a lot, to be honest, in a selection of ten songs, but of these two, “The Wanderers Truth” works actually pretty well since it boasts a thick oriental frosting.
At last, “Wheel of the Rising Sun” wraps things up with a traditional power-metal conduct. I was hoping for another epic in the vein of the opener, but I guess this will do quite as well. The song is anthemic enough to bring a nice closure to this sonic journey. Yeah, I must admit that the band delivered quite prominently on their own tongue-in-cheek slogan, “Make Power Metal Great Again!” The album sure does distill the purest essence of the genre, and even if it weren’t exactly your cup of tea, these lovely oriental flavors make this endeavor worth checking out. I really liked the Japanese flourishes, so much in fact that I reckon Shinomoto ought to be a permanent sidekick in this band, just like Troy Donockley has been with NIGHTWISH. Whaddaya say, METAL DE FACTO?
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Senjakuji Temple
- Across the Milky Way
- Gojira
- My Plastic Escape
- スズメの群れ
- Fury and Beauty
- The Wanderers Truth
- Pen Is Mightier Than Sword
- Lighter Than a Feather
- Wheel of the Rising Sun
Lineup
Esa Orjatsalo – guitars (ex-DREAMTALE)
Aitor Arrastia – vocals
Sami Hinkka – bass (ENSIFERUM)
Mikko Salovaara – guitars (KIUAS, LEVERAGE)
Benji Connelly – keyboards
Atte Marttinen – drums (KIVIMETSÄN DRUIDI)
Label
Reaper Entertainment
