Inishmore

Inishmore is a lyrical ninth album on which Riot boldly fuses Celtic-music elements into grand heavy metal. Inheriting the narrative orientation shown on the previous Brethren, it now places the melancholy and lift of Irish traditional music at the work’s core. Mark Reale’s melodic guitar and soaring vocals beautifully color that distinctive world. From the powerful drive of the opener “Black Water” and the catchy “Angel Eyes” to the dashing “Liberty” and “Kings Are Falling,” every song is full of melodic appeal, while the instrumental title track “Inishmore,” named after an Irish island, and a cut like “Cry for the Dying” give the work deep lyricism. Its great appeal lies in binding the strength of heavy metal and the beautiful, plaintive melody of Celtic music in an extremely natural form. The union of speed and lyricism that Riot does best blooms beautifully under this distinctive theme. A beautiful, powerful record, it can be called a hidden masterpiece of melodic power metal.