The Iron Savior has been defeated. The threat of the sentient starship has ended and the massive warcraft has departed back to deep space, leaving the two races of man...sundered so long ago by the cataclysm of Atlantis...to dwell in peace and brotherhood. The Terranians and Calderans have united as one. But now a new, even deadlier danger has emerged from another universe. The Shadow has arisen... It doesn't get much more cosmic than this. The German power metal band Iron Savior has embraced science fiction in a way no other band ever has, creating a multi-album epic that makes Rush's old concept songs seem small. The story involves the lost continent of Atlantis, a giant living starship called the Iron Savior that has gone berserk and now an extra-dimensional invasion by the Shadow. It's the sort of thing that makes "hip" rock journalists gnash their teeth. Well, too bad for them!

"Dark Assault" is classic Germanic power metal and definitely no major diversion from the first two Iron Savior LPs. The band includes Kai Hansen, the leader of Gamma Ray and former mastermind of Helloween, so you know you are going to get some classy heavy metal. The pace is fast, often bordering on thrash but never quite going all the way, and there are loads of those anthemic choir-like choruses. Lead guitar is all over the place and the twin leads have that "howling" sound reminiscent of Queen's Brian May at his most grandiose. "Dark Assault" would seem to complete the story of the Iron Savior, so I'm not sure where the band is headed next. If you dig immense space opera stories and like well-played power metal reeking of Helloween and Judas Priest, "Dark Assault" comes highly recommended.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2001 Year Book Volume 2 at  garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2001-and-2002.