MENTALIST – Earthbreaker

German / Swedish power metal band Mentalist had a lot to prove with their fourth studio album, Earthbreaker (2025), following the success of their first three records. For those that haven’t been paying attention to this band, their sound is theatrical and over-the-top heavy metal. Picture a blend of Iron Maiden, Helloween, Judas Priest, and latter day Flotsam and Jetsam. First impression of the new album is that the album cover, created by Andreas Marschall, is incredible and it does the album title justice. Besides the current lineup of the group, the band received additional support from keyboardist Oliver Palotai and bassist Mike LePond, respectively from Kamelot and Symphony X. Mentalist wanted to make Earthbreaker heavier compared to their previous records with more speed, heavier riffs, and dramatic flare.

Journey to a New World

The short one-minute intro sets up the mood for an enchanting, yet powerful, for the lack of a better term, event. It transitions perfectly into the ferocious title track filled with big melodies and lots of double kick drumming. Also, props to the thick bass playing throughout the album. It’s always nice to hear awesome bass lines prominent in the mix. “March on Legionnaire” is where lead vocalist Rob Lundgren channels his inner Bruce Dickinson. He actually has a good voice when he’s not screeching his head off. “Millions of Heroes” is a major standout on the album because it’s so different from the other tracks. It’s more relaxed and tame; in other words, no monstrous double kick drum work. The instrumentation alone serves as a beautiful tribute to the world’s heroes, past and present, who have sacrificed their lives for a better future. Also, a brilliant vocal performance from Lundgren.

“All for One” is a face-melting banger that’s oddly catchy and being the shortest song on Earthbreaker, besides the one-minute intro, it’s the closest thing the band will ever get to a commercial hit. That is, if anyone still cares about having a commercial hit. “Monkey King” is such a fun song with a great melody and chorus, despite having no clue what it’s about. Both “All for One” and “Together as One” have an infectious, anthemic feel that serves as a message of hope. The latter features some heavy riffage from guitarists Peter Moog and Kai Stringer. The closing track, “A New World,” leads listeners to an unknown future with optimism and excitement for what lies ahead.

The Good and the Bad

On the plus side, there are hints of Iron Maiden throughout the entire record, thanks to the orchestral instrumentation. As for the negatives, let’s start with Lundgren’s vocals. As mentioned before, he does a decent job at channeling Dickinson, but unfortunately, his performance isn’t consistent. He throws some screams here and there that are painful to listen to; that scream at the end of “March on Legionnaire” is not good. It’s like he was trying to overpower himself, which is the wrong way to go. Even Dickinson has his limitations, after all. The biggest issue with the album, however, is the production; everything is so loud. Imagine trying to turn up the volume a couple of notches to hear the lyrics better, but instead, it makes the drums and guitars way louder than they need to be.

Final Assessment

Overall, Earthbreaker lies in the middle of the pack; not perfect, but not terrible. It could even be argued that the album works better as background music, which is fair enough. For those that are interested, give Mentalist’s Earthbreaker album a chance!

Album Tracklist

1. Intro
2. Earthbreaker
3. March on Legionnaire
4. Event Horizon
5. Millions of Heroes
6. Lord of the Wasteland
7. All for One
8. Mistress of Pain
9. Monkey King
10. Together as One
11. A New World

Band Lineup

Peter Moog – guitars
Thomen Stauch – drums
Kai Stringer – guitars
Rob Lundgren – lead vocals

Additional Musicians

Oliver Palotai – keyboards
Mike LePond – bass guitar