What makes a great metal album? What is the criteria we use to judge those albums that have that certain something that escalate them into that ‘inspirational, must have’ category we all use when talking about timeless albums? Is it relentless heavy riffing, blistering solos, soaring vocals, fist punching songs capable of making the most jaded of metal fan want to head bang like there is no tomorrow? If that is the winning formula then Grand Magus have quite possibly produced one of the truly great metal albums?

For anyone who has followed the career of Grand Magus will know to dismiss their ill-fitting Doom metal tag without hesitation. Long gone are the slower bluesy tempo tendencies that graced their debut album which over the course of the subsequent three albums have been replaced by more hard edged grandiose metal; culminating in this their most truly metal output to date.

JB has always been one of the most underrated vocalists plying his trade today. With a set of pipes most could only dream to have at their disposal his abilities have, to those who have taken care to notice, been more and more accomplished with every release. ‘Iron Will’ however surpasses all that has gone before, form the album opener ‘As the ore hits the water’ to the final bars of ‘I am North’ you are treated to a vocal display of majestic proportions. Dioesque in places while still being distinctly original, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more complete vocal display this year.

Grand Magus have produced a fist punching, bullet belt sporting metal anthem after metal anthem, and it is hard to imagine how each and every song can not have even the most cynical of metallers jumping to their feet in head banging ecstasy. ‘Iron Will’ encompasses all that made the likes of early Priest and Dio era Sabbath release so influential and not for one moment am I suggesting you should replace ‘Heaven and Hell’ or ‘British Steel’ with this album, it does have the hallmark the true greats carry, and like all great songs ‘Iron Will’ gets better with every listen.