Artist: Mob Rules 
   Title: Ethnolution A.D.
   Label: SPV Records

Nobody does Melodic Metal like the European bands and one of the bands at the very forefront of the genre are Germany’s Mob Rules.

Since the bands incarnation back in 1994, the band have set out their stall to be one of the premier melodic metal bands not just in Europe, but the World.  Since their debut release ‘Savage Land’ the band have steadily set about their task, and with this new release ‘Ethnolution A.D.’, the bands fifth opus, they have finally arrived at a crucial juncture in the bands history with their finest album so far.

'Ethnolution A.D.' opens up with the title track, not as much a single track but as a five piece saga that delves into such subjects as the Klu Klux Klan, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Middle East crisis and the terrorist threats from suicide bombers.  Subjects that might seem taboo to some but as vocalist Klaus Dirks explains  ... “We have always been fascinated by the ethnological development on our planet, and the problematic coexistence of culturally and intellectually different peoples”.

The track opens up with the short intro ‘Prologue’ before the real meat and bones of the album begins with the towering twin guitar assault of ‘Unholy War’, a real majestic opener that hails the beginning of something rather special.

The third section of this five-piece saga and carrying on the grandiose nature of the album is ‘Ashes To Ashes’ with its almost progressive metal feel, mainly due to some fantastic interaction between the guitars and keyboards which slowly builds into a crescendo of massive proportions.

The fourth segment of the opener is a more rockier affair with just a hint of thrash.  The excellent ‘Fuel To The Fire’ is just magnificent with its ostentatious keyboards and thunderous rhythm section all intertwined with the twin guitars that make for a really massive sound and a great track.

The saga continues with vocalist Dirks taking a back seat as the rest of the band continue with the short instrumental ‘Veil Of Death’, before the final section and my favourite the awesome ‘The Last Farewell’, a track full of pomp and circumstance, it has to be heard to be believed.

After the twenty five minute epic could the band follow its brilliance, the answer is quite simply yes. The album continues with ‘Day And A Lifetime’, a much less grander affair that what went before, but still a great piece of melodic metal all the same.

The album takes on a new persona with a rampaging keyboard and guitar intro on the powerhouse track ‘River Of Pain’, a more up tempo track that show the band cant rock with the best of them.

Then the band show a little Eastern promise with the haunting ‘Ain’t The One’ before the electro rock feel of ‘New Horizon’.  But it's ‘With Sparrows’ that really gets the nerve endings tingling with is bombastic keyboards and Dirks superb vocals this has to be my favourite track, that is apart from the 'Ethnolution A.D.' track with it’s soaring guitars and the ease of which the melodies evolve that really make this one.

The album comes to a close with ‘Better Morning’, which is probably the most poignant track on the album, with its choral and keys intro and Dirks solemn vocals make for a fine end to a great release.

If this album doesn’t get the name of Mob Rules on every melodic metal fans lips then there is no justice in this world.

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