Given the moniker, guess these Germans have a sense of humor...musically, it's a no nonsense sophomore effort (albeit the first since 2017): a tasty bit of Blind Guardian inspired, acoustic/medieval/folk tinged, high speed power metal. 

“Demon Divine” opener sports a pair of acoustic guitars and clean vocals, to start. Then a cannonading drum introduces a quick picking buzz of electric axes and a piercing scream. The Swordsmen are off and running! There will be gang vocals, come the chorus and before the song's conclusion, the jangly, intro interlude will return, although the whole thing ends with rapidity. 

Only one of the nine compositions is less than five minutes and three exceed eight, with the gargantuan, 10:44 "A Murder of Ravens" including a guest appearance by Liv Kristine (Leaves Eyes, ex-Theater Of Tragedy). Upping the speed and heaviness, with some gruff voices, "Of Love And Loss" rips a page from the Hansi Kursch songwriting manual, unable to avoid a subdued, mellowed instrumental section, midway through. 

"Where The Old Gods Dwell" seems suspiciously like a random jumble of the Guardian's lexicon, although the tune itself is mid-paced. Regal, and punctuated with chants of "Yah!" "Twelve Steps (To Hell)" is actually a pirate metal tale. Apart from the odd lyric, a concertina/squeezebox, military cadence snare drum and an unsheathed sword sound effect, doesn't really resound, "Pirate metal". 

The aforementioned lengthy composition is built around a lone acoustic atop double tracked guitars, one with and another devoid of electricity. Not really a ballad, as it gradually rises and falls in intensity, but 180 degrees opposite its neighbors, in that it's slow, with a fast middle. "King Of Thieves" jump starts the speed/intensity, but quickly downshifts to a medieval tempo, occasionally interspersed with metallic segments. 

The initial verse to "Echoes Of The Past" could be Hansi singing, it's that close! Keeping it a reduced, mid-tempo, the track begins with lilting piper and marches forward. The quick hitting "Sharpe's Song" is a pretty straight-through number, although they can't resist to temporarily slow things down. Meanwhile, the "Wewirt Skihit" finale, begins in folky territory, then takes flight. Catchy melodies and plenty of guitar interplay.

Good stuff. One to watch, just hope it's not another six years until we get the next full-length.