EXCALION – Once Upon a Time

One of Finland’s best kept secrets; Power Metal band Excalion are releasing their 6th full length studio album Once Upon a Time on Scarlet Records. Following up on 2019’s Emotions, the band has returned with a powerful, well written, very well produced album. This reviewer was surprised by the scarce amount of information available on Excalion, as their official website hasn’t been updated since February of 2019, and the only place to glean info about the band is on their sole social media page on Facebook. Surprising because of how good the band is, and how well produced their new record is.

About the Album

Once Upon a Time is an excellent collection of Power Metal songs that draw you in right away with catchy riffs, and then weave a spell musically that captivates the listener. From the first track on, Once Upon a Time showcases the amazing voice of Marcus Lång, as not only can he sing soft melodies, but gritty lines and Heavy Metal screams as well. All of this over the outstanding musicianship of the band comes together to create a very special album. Favorite track for this reviewer may be the title cut “Once Upon a Time” with it’s great vocal layers over the haunting theme, but the favorite seems to change with every listen.

Final Notes

Excalion may be Finland’s hidden treasure, but they shouldn’t be. Top notch songwriting, excellent musicianship on every instrument, and excellent production all come together on Once Upon a Time to give the listener a real Power Metal gem. Every song on the record has plenty to offer even the most discerning Power Metal connoisseur, so do yourself a favor and check out Excalion, and add their new album to your collection.

Lineup

Henri Pirkkalainen – Drums
Jarmo “Jappe” Myllyvirta – Keyboards
Aleksi Hirvonen – Guitars
Onni Hirvonen – Bass
Marcus Lång – Vocals

Once Upon a Time – Tracklist

1. Keitele
2. Resolution
3. Soulbound
4. Words Cannot Heal
5. Amuse Me
6. Once Upon A Time
7. I Am I
8. When A Moment Turn Into A Lifetime
9. Radiant Halo
10. Eternals
11. Band Of Brothers