Slovakian band, Signum Regis, which translates to ‘Signature of the King’ from Latin, has been creating some decent power metal since its 2007 inception. With each album, the band has made significant strides in their songwriting, production values, musicianship and visuals. Its last album, Exodus, was an adventurous concept album based on a book in the Bible. On its fourth full-length, Chapter IV: The Reckoning, the band has upped the ante by creating an engaging Euro power metal opus with a neoclassical flair. Each of the ten tracks stand on their own and don’t follow any specific concepts.

Opener “Lost And Found” is decorated with blazing, Helloween-esque dual guitar harmonies with a swirling, neoclassical picking style during guitarist Filip Kolus’s solo. The raspy vocals of Mayo Petranin possesses a Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian essence, yet gives the track a classic rock flavor. “The Secret Of The Sea” consists of menacing, rock-driven riffage combined with a melodic, AOR flavored chorus. “The Voice In The Wilderness” contains a thrashy, Metallica-ish main riff, layered in keyboard atmospheres. “The Magi” encapsulates everything Signum Regis does well, consisting of blazing riffs, great melodies and soaring vocal harmonies, even managing to throw in a little part from Johann Sebastian Bach. Chapter IV: The Reckoning doesn’t offer anything new and most of the Euro power metal boxes have been ticked. Signum Regis will probably never be a huge band, however, they certainly show a lot of promise for the future.