A long five years after the more than solid Wolf God and Swedish hellraisers Grand Magus have returned! Instantly recognisable to fans thanks to frontman JB Cristoffersson's strident vocals and the band's formula of infectious heavy metal anthems, this is their tenth full-length and far from a let-down. With a tight running time of thirty-five minutes and hooks galore, Sunraven is exactly what we have come to expect from the band, no more, no less. As before, the band are at their best when unashamedly aiming for the peak of the epic mountain, and the first three pieces here show as they blend together in a storm of catchiness, even the bass being loud and clear thanks to a fine Staffan Karlsson production. There are slight differences, even dips into Amon Amarth-meets Bathory posturing at points musically, yet the material here is rock-solid, lodging itself in your head almost from the first listen and sure to come over just as strongly in the live setting.

Some of these songs, as strong as they are, really will be even better in a concert setting, not least the chugging and powerful title track. Every element here seems designed for full catchiness, even the guitar soloing towards the end - one of many highlights. It's not until Winter Storms and The Black Lake, longer, five minute plus pieces, that the band shift gears even a little from stuffing your ears with hooks to take a little more of at atmospheric approach with blowing winds and a slightly slower tempo with the latter dipping outright into doom, although the general approach is still very much towards catchiness. And there's not really much deviation from the formula thereafter, a touch more Judas Priest in the formula here or there (Hour of the Wolf) or even some power metal sticking its head in (To Heorot). Perhaps songs could be longer, perhaps some of them could end a little more interestingly, but sometimes a band simply is that straightforward and enjoyable, and although not their best overall, this is another solid outing from Grand Magus.