*Review originally featured at my former site rock-is-life.com
What’s the 4-1-1?
Joe Stump’s Reign of Terror is back with their latest release Conquer & Divide. The group set out to reach great heights by delivering the most impressive Euro power metal since their debut album, Sacred Ground. Guitar speedster Joe Stump is not alone in his endeavors. He brought along heavy metal veteran, vocalist Mike Vescera and a powerful rhythm section that has helped the group earn the label of ‘the U.S. melodic band of the ages’. Relying on their heavy neoclassical influences, Reign of Terror is ready to turn the metal world upside down.
Genre
Neo-classical metal / power metal / hard rock
The Good
The albums title track starts off with an impressive display of guitar work. The dark opening riffs lead the way to some of the fastest guitar playing around. You’ll be wondering how Joe can be so fast, and still hit the note. Is that a strong Yngwie Malmsteen influence I hear? I don’t just hear it from the guitar work, Mike Vescera handled vocals on a couple of Malmsteen albums, and he’s brought some of that sound with him. Mike tears into the lyrics full throttle. The pace lasts from start to finish. “No Forgiving” doesn’t differ much from the title track, with the exception of the strong symphonic elements contributed by keyboardist Mats Olausson. Once again, Stump displays his technical prowess with one of the most difficult and intriguing guitar solos I’ve ever heard. Based on an old horror movie, “Mark of the Devil” combines Vescera’s haunting vocal melodies with Stump’s perfectly harmonized guitar solos. Joe continues to beg his audience, ‘listen to how fast I can play’, throughout the album. The opening guitar runs on “No Limits”, “Sacrifice”, and “Sign of the Cross” are prime examples, not to mention their solos. Reign of Terror does slow it down a bit, and I stress a bit, on “The Meaning”. Vescera is at his melodic best here.
The Bad
We get it, you can play really fast
The Verdict
Speed and thrash metal, with a melodic twist. There’s no doubt Joe Stump is a talented guitar player, one of the fastest I’ve heard. However, it gets kind of mundane by the middle of the album. Vescera delivers great vocal melodies as usual. Looking at the cover, and with a name like Reign of Terror, I thought the songs would be darker and heavier. Conquer & Divide is still a great album if you like your metal fast, high powered, and unrelenting.
Did you know?
Joe Stump was voted the 6th Fastest Shredder of All Time in the April 2003 issue of Guitar One Magazine. Michael Angelo (ex-Nitro) was number one, followed by Impellitteri, Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert (ex-Mr. Big) and Shawn Lane.
3 out of 5
2025 – Interview with JOE STUMP at KNAC.COM: https://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=54642
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