Why Rebellion decided to start album number six with tedious seven-minute slow number Rest In Peace is baffling but, blessedly, once that snooze-inducer is over, this picks up a little.
The distinctively Germanic approach to heavy metal – riff-heavy, chorus-heavy, slightly camp and best served with leather trousers – has a fair amount to enjoy, thanks to memorable melodies and a powerful momentum. There are other significant problems, however.
Some of the historical lyrics are royally clunky, such as the artless chorus of Prince Of The Cheruscar. The vocals aren’t as powerful as they should be, and if you’re going to get away with making a record like this an hour long, you need to be much more varied and interesting. Arminius: Furor Teutonicus is firmly a record for fans of the style (anyone hanging around for a new Grave Digger record, essentially) but it’s a perfectly acceptable outing – if forgettably disposable, flawed and long – if that’s your cup of mead.
Just skip the first track and ponderous, self-important and laugh-out-loud awful closer, and you’ll enjoy it all the more.
