The Ferrymen – Iron Will
The Ferrymen – Iron Will
Frontiers Music srl
Release Date: 24/01/2025
Running Time: 53:58
Review by David Barreto
8.7/10
When you are going to check an album and you see the names Magnus Karlsson and Mike Terrana you know you are going to enjoy an amazing dose of Power Metal but if the name of the singer is Ronnie Romero, you know that this is going to be even better and more epic. And it is!
The Ferrymen will be back in January of 2025 for their next release “Iron Will” released via Frontiers Music S.R.L. and it is going to be AWESOME.
I feel fortunate that I have the chance to listen to such a lovely work so early because I have been a fan of Magnus since ever and adding Mike and Ronnie to the equation only can make it better: melody, power, catchy choruses, mind blowing guitar solos, amazing production and surgically tight rhythm section is what makes this band so awesome.
The album starts with ‘Choke Hold’, a soft and airy intro crescendo into a powerful and melodic track, full of four by four guitar chugga-chugga and powerful drum fills. Not to forget the expressive and extensive guitar solo. Hundred percent what you expect from this line up and the opening track for any Karlsson album.
‘Mother Unholy’, starts full of epic choirs leading to an airy and more toned down, mid-tempo, epic song. Ronnie Romero is sitting comfortably in this register and can release all of his tricks to an amazing performance.
‘Iron Will’, third cut and the single that you can already check on YouTube (link below, after the review) with the official music video for the song, is the power ballad we all expect: melodic guitar lines, airy quiet parts, pushing forward drums and choirs in the background. Magnus has perfected this formula throughout the years and this is a perfect example as in ‘Above it All’, the fourth track, even though I would say this one has a bit of 80’s Hard Rock in it.
Fifth track kicks off with more energy. ‘Adrenaline’ is powerful and what you would expect from the title: the double kick of the drums, the fast guitar riff but still the catchy melodic chorus is there to sing along only to slow down again with the next track, ‘Darkest Storm’, which is melodic, expressive and with a bit more presence from the synthesizers.
‘Dreams and Destiny’ is the ballad: strings, clean guitars, quiet drums… transports you to an Irish forest or maybe a Swedish frozen valley, but in any case to a peaceful place where the fairies fly free, and it is beautiful.
‘Dust to Dust’ and ‘The Darkness that Divides’ are the trademark of The Ferrymen, melodic yet powerful and epic and ‘Mind Games’ is even more epic and powerful with big choruses and more strings while the synths gives it a bit more of a classic power metal taste and the long and full of melodic motifs guitar solo leads to which is my favourite chorus of the album: it’s huge and epic…
Last track, ‘You’re The Joker’, is faster and more powerful, with the drums and bass kicking hard on your lower parts and a guitar riff played in octaves following Ronnie’s vocal line. With more rhythmic changes and more differentiated parts throughout the song, this is the most complex song of the album, far from being Progressive Metal complex because that’s not what The Ferrymen is about, but it is interesting and makes me wish more tracks followed this line instead. A good track that I could listen to several times before wanting another song.
In the end, the album is exactly what you would expect from The Ferrymen: power, epic and melodic metal with top notch production quality and a great musical taste for the little and not so little details. Everything sits in its place and it is comforting to listen to an album beginning to end without anything sounding off or pushing you out of the mood. If you like to just sit, relax and enjoy; this is going to be your go to album after the Holidays fever is gone.
A perfect way to start 2025.
Hasta la vista, Ever-Metallers!
‘Iron Will’ Official Music Video
TRACKLISTING:
01. Choke Hold
02. Mother Unholy
03. Iron Will
04. Above it All
05. Adrenaline
06. Darkest Storm
07. Dreams and Destiny
08. Dust to Dust
09. The Darkness that Divides
10. Mind Games
11. You’re The Joker
LINE-UP:
Guitars – Magnus Karlsson
Vocals – Ronnie Romero
Drums – Mike Terrana
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of David Barreto and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.