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This is a pleasant surprise. Hailing from Sweden and sporting a name like Brothers of Metal, it wasn't much of a leap to guess this band plays power metal. With a Norse theme running through the songs, I was expecting some flowery, fantasy power metal but what I got was some kick-ass heavy/power metal where the songwriting features a lot more depth than is typical for the genre. The guitars are still supported by keys, but they have a lot more bite and the riffs aren't crowded together in a miasma of speed. Sure, there are plenty of double-kick drums but even on faster cuts like "Prophecies of Ragnarök" and "Sleipnir," both the guitars and keyboards have their own space. The vocals are a fantastic combination gritty male and clear, powerful female voices that together give the songs an immediacy that should get fists in the air every time a chorus comes around.

This is an AFM reissue of the band's independent initial release of the album and there are several bonus tracks that pad the album out to over 50 minutes, but the songs are so entertaining, it doesn't feel anywhere near that long. Brothers of Metal may be a relatively new group, but they have their shit together for Prophecies of Ragnarök. All power metal fans should be checking this out, especially if bands like Sabaton, Rebellion and Ancient Bards get you ready to plunder and pillage.