heavy-metal-darkness: Iron Brigade |Ill Fated Voyage |Stormspell Records

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Iron Brigade |Ill Fated Voyage |Stormspell Records

Release Date: 28/11/2025
Format: CD/Digital
Genre: Epic/Power/Speed Metal
Country: USA

Iron Brigade hail from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city better known for steel and sweat than fantasy banners. The band formed around a shared hunger for classic heavy metal, pulling inspiration from old school power metal and USPM without turning it into cosplay. “Ill Fated Voyage” is their debut full length and their first real shot fired into the underground, backed by Stormspell Records and a very traditional heavy metal mindset.

“Ill Fated Voyage” runs on fast riffs, big melodies and a clear love for epic storytelling. The guitars push hard galloping and sharp turns, often riding that familiar Maiden style pulse while dipping into speed metal aggression. The rhythm section keeps everything moving at a strong pace, never drifting into lazy cruising. There is a raw energy here that suits the material well, especially when the songs stretch out and let the riffs breathe naturally without collapsing into excess.

Vocals sit high and proud, heroic without going full cartoon, which fits the medieval and battle driven themes perfectly. Choruses aim for fists in the air and usually get there, even if a few lines lean close to familiar territory. Songwriting stays consistent across the album, with long tracks that build momentum through repeated themes and steady escalation. Some passages run longer than necessary, though the band rarely loses focus or intensity.

Production stays old school in spirit, clear enough to catch every riff and vocal line, rough enough to keep the underground blood pumping. The album does not hit maximum impact at every moment, though it keeps a solid level throughout and delivers plenty of replay value for fans of epic power metal. “Ill Fated Voyage” sounds like a band finding its footing and planting a flag with pride, grit and honest heavy metal fire.

Score: 8.3