Formed back in 2009, Armoured
Knight rose from Peñaflor, Chile, and slowly carved their way into the
underground with a handful of EPs before reaching this milestone debut. Their
roots stretch deep into the 80s tradition of European speed and heavy metal,
taking cues from bands like Helloween, Savage Grace, and Viper.
After lineup changes and a period of silence, the band regrouped in 2017 and
pushed forward until finally delivering their first full-length, “The Quest For
The Sacred Melody.” With Cristian León on
guitars, Christopher Falk on bass, Mario Vera on drums, and José
Tapia on vocals, the band present eight tracks clocking in at just under
35 minutes.
The guitars
are the clear driving force, with plenty of flashy solos and melodic touches
that bring excitement to nearly every track. The rhythm section is solid,
giving the songs a sturdy backbone to race forward. Where the album loses some
of its strength is the vocals. Tapia’s
delivery leans into a dramatic, slightly strained style that may divide
listeners. Instead of enhancing the heroic atmosphere, it often becomes
distracting and takes away from the otherwise strong musical foundation.
“The Quest
For The Sacred Melody” is an album that will surely connect with listeners
hungry for pure 80s-inspired speed metal, yet it might not land as strongly for
those sensitive to vocals that don’t fully match the power of the instruments. Armoured Knight clearly has the riffs, the spirit,
and the fire, but the voice leading the charge doesn’t always carry the same
impact.
Score: 6.5
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