If the musical world stopped for you in 1990, then this is going to rock your world.

Following hot on the heels of their well-received self-titled EP comes German band Pulver's first full-length release 'Kings Under The Sand'. The eight songs contained within fit squarely in the Classic Metal genre.

Hitting you straight between the eyes with its menacing, heavy riff and twin guitar sound comes the very short but sweet 'Rising'. 'Phantom Hawk' could so easily have been lifted from an eighties Judas Priest album as the vocal tones and guitar ooze British Heavy Metal, while 'Blacksmiths Lament' is much darker yet it still reeks of British Metal. The drumbeat really reflects the pounding of the blacksmith's hammer whilst the guitar parts are very Iron Maiden-esque. The title-track has a brighter and faster rhythm to it which is more akin to their home country cohorts the Scorpions. 'Qarinah' slows things to a snail's pace, but duel guitar phrases and heavy drumbeats keep this song driving along like a juggernaut before it picks up speed for the chorus.

Pulver may not be breaking new ground, but they are able to pull together some great sounding tracks which will really appeal to those who hanker for the Classic Metal sound. 'Warrior Caste' again takes its influence from the darker side of Metal, but this time it is distinctly early Black Sabbath that forms the reference; menacing vocals and intricate guitar parts reign supreme. 'Alpha Omega' takes a simple melody and extrapolates it into a beast of a song which has a strange kind of familiarity to it, partly due to some more Maiden-like twin guitar parts. Album closer 'Curse Of The Pharaoh' pulls out all the stops and it's perhaps the best track to be found on this release. It has originality at its heart and highlights how the group don't need to rely on sounding like their stablemates as they can stand proud on their own.

This is no-frills Metal that is well performed and written, but ultimately with its feet firmly implanted in the past. If the musical world stopped for you in 1990, then this is going to rock your world.

Paul Sabin