Release date:17, October 2025

Sintage, formed in Germany in 2019, bursts in with a classic heavy and speed metal style, built on sharp riffs, pounding drums and a pulse that swings from raw velocity to well-crafted melodic passages. Their sound expands with progressive-tinged ballads, seventies hard rock flourishes and twin guitar arrangements that echo the great heroes of the genre. With their 2023 release Paralyzing Chains, which earned strong reviews, the band shows a powerful voice blended with clear and direct production, shaping a debut that balances energy, variety and loyalty to the eighties legacy, pointing straight toward becoming a heavyweight name in the scene.

Review

Feel the unbound triumph whispers a mysterious voice as soon as “Ramming Speed” kicks in, straight and merciless like a steel rod to the head. What we hear is a spiraled, chopped riff with palm-muted phrases, steel forged in the furnaces of heavy and speed, crunchy and addictive, backed by pounding and relentless drums. The song fulfills its mission, a powerful outburst with sharp solos, flawless percussion, a smart use of fills. Randy’s vocals are not perfect, yet he handles the highs with strength, shaping a voice full of reverb and body. He may not be a virtuoso, but he strikes the most demanding notes with ripping, whip-like screams.

After such a blazing start we meet “Cutting the Star”. The main riff does justice to its title, strings sound sharp and cutting, broken and furious, followed by a brilliant interlude of high notes and a sudden break with a slightly syncopated rhythm that evolves from mid-tempo to faster speeds. Power chords matched with the drums at the back push forward the mystical aura of the song. The bass lines take a secondary role, as will happen throughout the album, just reinforcing the low end to give weight to the rhythm. It is the guitars that spill over, rising in the rhythmic sections and blending with the verses.

“Electric Walls” shifts the mood, a mid-tempo song driven by omnipresent percussion from the very first second. Heavy Sabbath-like chords with a strong hard rock vibe mark a turning point in the record. It may not be the most inspired track, yet it stands out for the solid drumming and the tasteful use of lead guitars. The bass could have played a larger role, a missed opportunity. The second half brings a sonic surprise, as the pace accelerates into old school thrash territory, filled with chromatic chords and punk-driven drumming.

Balancing the set, the band dives into a power ballad with “Silent Tears”. Here the bass steps forward with depth and gravity. Randy’s voice softens, carrying a light rasp, perfectly layered between the walls of distortion and the clean passages. The ballad leans more toward progressive than folk, shifting from slow patterns to heavier sections. Twin guitar solos shine with strength and emotion, echoing the instrumental ballads of Steve Vai and Marty Friedman. The final minutes ignite with speed, the drums precise and forceful, never missing a strike nor drowning in cymbals or tom rolls.

After this piercing piece we return with “Blood upon the Stage”, a barrage of riffs and sudden breaks that throw us back into headbanging. Structures are quick, vocals charged with hymn-like choruses. The drums are masterful, never lost in needless rolls, powering the engine with restraint and impact. The final mix is a treat, centered and clear. Guitar solos pay tribute to the artwork itself, a vision that recalls the guitar hero aura of Yngwie Malmsteen in Trilogy and the snake of Omen.

“Beyond The Thunderstone” carries a pure hard rock vibe, with a solid square groove, chromatic riffs and open chords. The song unfolds with a catchy rhythm, string sweeps and pounding percussion that bring back the old glories of Rainbow, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. It steps away from the main line of the record, yet that turns into a strength, breaking the monotony.

Then comes what I consider the crown jewel, “Prisioned By The Dark”. It opens with a crushing wave of riffs and galloping sections. The structure is heavier, tuned lower, with drums that handle mid-tempos with force, hitting every gear shift with precision. The vocals drown slightly in some passages but that is no flaw, it only enhances the raw eighties tone of the track. The composition goes beyond relentless rhythm, weaving twin guitar arrangements and a variety of solos, building sonic sections of the highest level. This song will surely become a battle horse in the band’s live shows.

The journey ends with “One With the Wind”, one of the longest songs on the album. Its opening is fast and energetic, a forceful succession of chords and figures that avoids the comfort of power chords, effective but too easy. Three minutes in we enter a clean passage with slow reverberated arpeggios. The bass lines shine more clearly, though they still lack deeper integration with the whole. The decision to place the vocals between thick walls of guitars proves right, as it moves away from the power metal formula where a virtuoso singer stands on top of the band. Instead, the voice is part of a pack where every musician is as important as the vocals.

Conclusion

This album makes it clear that Sintage knows the weapons of classic heavy and speed metal and how to sharpen them in 2025. Spiraled riffs, racing sections, ballads leaning toward the progressive and nods to the heroes of the eighties. Even if the bass is left behind in some passages and there are moments where the vocals could blend better, the energy, the variety of structures and the care in the mix shape a clear personality and a vibrant pulse. The band avoids monotony, dares to balance harshness with emotion and delivers a solid and memorable work, with songs destined to remain staples in their live repertoire.

TheNwothm Score: 9/10

Links

Bandcamp:https://sintage.bandcamp.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089607068295

Instagram:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089607068295

Label:High Roller Records