Saint Deamon - League of the Serpent Review

It’s so funny how things go in this world of Metal reviews. My last review was about Magnus Rosén Band who was the HammerFall bassist from 1997 to 2007. Now we’ve got Saint Deamon with “League of the Serpent” which I don’t know if it’s me due to the album reviewed before or if it’s the band that really sounds as HammerFall. My guess it’s Jan Thore Grefstad’s vocals that reminds me so much of Joacim Cans made somehow my mind. Musically speaking, after giving a lot of thoughts, the bands do have a few reminiscences even thought they are pretty strong ones. My first thought is that Saint Deamon add more pop influences to their music into the HammerFall Power Metal essence. Long story short it would a HammerFall with more pop influences. But I don’t get satisfied with this shallow understanding. There is much more. That’s what we’ll see.

If one analyses only a few tracks like “Gates of Paradise” or “Load Your Cannons” the impression is that HammerFall gave all the cards with a few differences here and there. “Load Your Cannons” has those choruses that HammerFall do love. The essence of the band is there. Of course, vocals help a lot to make the bands sound similar. My guess is that HammerFall were a huge influence on Saint Deamon which decided to add some new elements in it and make something of their own. Well, to be really frank, between you and me, that’s what most bands do, isn’t it? Get something they like, add some new things they like and make something new from their own. That’s what album welcomer “At Break of Dawn” whose medieval guitars show exactly that. A break from their influences with their spirit in it though. It’s with following track and album tittle track that “League of the Serpent” the influences get more noticiable. HammerFall’s influences are plain and straight here even though some electronic effects were added by the end of it. I guess everybody here knows that the devil are in the details to tell that’s exactly what “The Final Fight” shows the fan with its Hair Metal traits and driving it a bir far from their main influence. Keyboards here give the tone leading the song to the Hair Metal kingdom with a strong taste of Dokken.

Roughly speaking, this is how a band acquires its own personality. One thing here, another there, put it all in a cauldron, stir a bit and voilà the dough is done. Saint Deamon did this with “League of the Serpent” and the outcome was pretty decent.

Saint Deamon “League of the Serpent” will be released on April 21st via AFM Records.

Track Listing: