Reforming Warlord with the singer of Hammerfall could be seen as an opportunity ... a commercial opportunity. Even though Hammerfall is amongst these bands to have officially recognized the talent of Warlord - listen to the cover Child Of The Damned on their first album Glory To The Brave - there is no doubt that Joacim Cans is the best spotlight Warlord could ever dream of. First of all, Joacim is one of the best heavy metal singer around and secondly he is an unconditional Warlord's fan. So you can imagine how proud he must be rejoining the cult & famous Warlord. So a commercial opportunity or a real good heavy metal band ?

Rising Out Of The Ashes has been constructed from demos, old & new songs, without forgetting Lordian Guard songs. Some might say the band didn't take too much risk, but isn't it somehow logical that after these "empty years" and a new singer Warlord played a safety card. Warlord's music hasn't changed for a dime and if you are an Iron Maiden fan, like to listen to melodic guitar solos without having a tempo running at full speed, you gonna love this record ... as much as I do. I am really impressed by Joacim's performance on Rising Out Of The Ashes ... and even though it sounds like a bad "cliché", the guy is singing better and better year after year. The time of Glory To The Brave seems so far away when you listen carefully to Joacim's now. Congratulation man !!!

The only "weak" point of Rising Out Of The Ashes is this linearity as the same tempo has been applied. It took me a while to realized I was not listening to the same track again and again, but I have to admit that the album grows in me (and keep growing) spin after spin. Songs like Battle Of The Living (old demo), Enemy Mind (new song), Invaders or Winds Of Thor (Lordian Guard song) are future Warlord's classics and the guitar - just after the singer - is the winner here. I am "drunk" by these guitar solos - wonderful, flooding, melodic & so original - as the guy behind the instrument knows definitely how to write a solo. Two thumbs up !!!

The production sounds very much like the 80's and I suppose it is intentional. I know the band was looking for a label with this one ... so may be the band will have more money to invest from now. At the end, the production is true to Warlord "cultish image".

Welcome back guys, but please try to stay alive as much as possible this time as Rising Out Of The Ashes sounds just like the beginning ... just like the beginning of a brand-new age. The future is in your hands.

Wacken, Wacken, here comes Warlord, for their first ever live performance on stage ... can you believe it ?