Get out your leather jackets, your Reebok High Tops and your best worn Iron Maiden concert T-Shirt, becuase the return of dungeon metal is back. Yup folks, Dio has NOTHING on these guys. This is metal at it's finest. Loud, fast, heavy, pretentious and downright medival. These guys hail from the lovely Garden State of New Jersey and have been pounding out amazing metal albums for years, yet they are virtually unknown in the states. Why you ask? Promotion, distribution, marketing, money, and let's face it, these guys don't have the looks to grace the front pages of Rolling Stone, but they can play their asses off and write some pretty damn good bombastic metal riffs that will have you rushing to the nearest hillside and strike your best 'I am a viking' pose. This disc is so loaded with amazing guitar playing, provided by the ever amazing Michael Romeo who could easily give Dream Theater's John Petrucci a run for his money (no offense John). 'The Odyssey' has some pretty catchy riffs that could make old Dime Bag Darrel jealous and the solos simply soar, and if you need any proof, just listen to the opening riff of "Wicked" and the solos in 'Accolade II' you will know what I mean. Lead Vocalist Russell Allen still sounds alot like Ronnie James Dio with a serious mean streak, yet he infuses his own personal style to all that he touches. I simply love these guys and wish they could at least catch a decent break in the States. They deserve it. The material on this disc is very strong with a stronger and tighter emphasis on song structure and an overall heaviness compared to some of their previous releases (for someof the older material check out "V" and "Live on the Edge to Forever", both HIGHLY recommended). This disc is so well produced that it could become a benchmark for other metal acts to follow. The instrumentation is very well laid out and the dynamics are terrific, each band member gets to shine in their own right, and the band is simply tighter than a snare drum. My hats off to you boys, for another stellar addition to an already mighty catalog. Now kids, run to your nearest store and purchase this disc before Thor the Hellhammer bashes your skulls into pure dust.