From the opening riff of “Skybound” you can feel the organic chemistry between JB Christoffersson (lead guitars, vocals), Ludwig Witt (drums), and, Fox Skinner (bassist, backing vocals). As always Grand Magus’ ballsy attitude represents innovative musicianship; their riff-driven style shows deep inspiration and the composition is rich in its classic metal aesthetic; the epic atmosphere is never absent instead JB offers plenty of catchy choruses in the next song “The Wheel of Pain”.

“Sunraven” certainly stands as one of Grand Magus‘ conceptual studio albums; the main riff in each song flows like a blazing spear and the vocals are featured more prominently and highlighted by excellent drumming and bass guitar riffs.

The epic atmosphere is much more appealing and this is because the catchy choruses are bolstered with the grandeur of classic doom metal if you’re a fan of Black Sabbath or Candlemass, “Sunraven” conveys the majesty of Grand Magus and evokes a relentless quality, sounding all-powerful, and loud. The highlight of this track is the soaring lead guitar which gives you the feel of being transported to a golden coliseum of warriors, there is no question about the pristine songwriting and the harmonization of the bass guitar and the plodding drum beats.

The 10th album sees the Swedish trio expanding its scale to tackle the dark majestic sound of doom metal, however, the songs are more varied, and the riff pacing and the crushing drums are consistent in the song “Winter Storms”. There isn’t a dull moment, the focus is on JB’s vocals and the quality of musicianship is fabulous; the chorus is captivating and injects powerful bass lines, and some hints to AC/DC give it a badass aggressive vibe.

Grand Magus has pursued a new direction in the 2008 album “Iron Will” to the 2012 “The Hunt”. The stoner doom influences in the slow-downer track “The Black Lake” show the fondness of the Swedes for the 70s Black Sabbath era. Each riff is genuine and meticulously crafted in the style of Grand Magus and the melodic embellishment of the storming riffs and leads are rooted in the classic rock era.

The second half of the album encompasses elements from early Judas Priest, offering plenty of tempo changes from the riffs, creating an impenetrable wall of sound. “Hour of the Wolf” begins with an ominous opening when the thundering guitars and the anthemic vocals work in tandem with the heavy pounding of a bass guitar, the overall sound is “vintage“ and stoner. Guitar frenzying with some thunderous percussion tearing into a superb lead guitar and the solo section is full of hooks.

“Grendel” is another powerful song that fits in the epic and heavy metallic sound of Grand Magus, any track from this album would fit in a doom metal collection, though there are many great songs in the album that mark the epic warrior theme that takes you in a glorious ride to the halls of Valhalla.

However, the album is a bit shorter, clocking at thirty-five minutes. There is no lack of dynamics in songs like “To Heorot” which is a banger and the final track in the album “The End Belongs to You”. The riffs whip your ears into an adrenalin-fueled ride, the track builds upon aggressive riffing and catchy lead guitars and doesn’t lose the epic atmosphere throughout the song.

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