While just two new songs, this bodes well for the full length, scheduled to appear later this year. There’s also a pair of cover tunes and a half dozen live tracks (55 minutes total), recorded for the “Skeletons & Majesties” DVD (in Bochum, Germany), but not included on the CD accompanying that visual package. So this disc is a worthy purchase, if only a couple of previously unheard songs.

The opening ‘Empire Of The Undead’ comes screaming out of the speakers, faster and heavier than Gamma Ray has been in decades. Wow! All the more impressive given the acoustic re-workings and odds & sods releases of late. No way the forthcoming album can be THIS metal, end-to-end. The title cut is easily identified as sing-song Kai Hansen: big choruses around infectious harmonies. Good stuff. Holocaust’s ‘Death & Glory’ has a staccato heaviness that belies its NWOBHM origins, while Sweet’s ‘Lost Angels’ (complete with attempt at “helium highs”) doesn’t fare as well, though I wouldn’t mind if the earlier option shows up in future live sets. Speaking of onstage, the material recorded in Germany is first rate (believing it might ultimately end up on DVD), although as mentioned in a review of the DVD, not sure how many times I’ll be pulling out the acoustic version of ‘Farewell’, given the Rays are a good time party. ‘Time To Break Free’, with former Helloween/current Unisonic bandmate Michael Kiske is fun and the speedy, twin guitars on ‘Wings Of Destiny’ is about as good as power metal gets. So pumped for “Empire Of The Undead” CD!