Army of One

Army of One is the twelfth album on which Riot, around hard riffs and powerful melody, sounds mature heavy metal. Even after a long career, the band’s sure character — the union of speed and lyricism — is not lost in the least. Mark Reale’s guitar unites sharp bite and rich songcraft at a high level, powerfully driving the work. From the powerful drive of the opening title track “Army of One” and the dashing “Blinded” to the dramatic “The Mystic,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Still Alive” and “Shine” convey the band’s steady ability and rich melodic sense. It is built to let you listen carefully on the quality of the songs themselves, over flash. It can be called a record proving that, even as veterans, their high musical quality and passion for playing have not dimmed at all. Made by Mark Reale while continuing to battle illness, a deep devotion to the band can be felt. Letting you fully savor steady, high-quality melodic metal, it is a powerful, fulfilling work showing Riot’s underlying strength.