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Right off the bat, this has everything going for it. High class melodies, rampant double bass abuse, melodic guitar licks, polished production: it's Power Metal just like mama used to make! For all intents and purposes, this could be a re-release of a lost gem circa 2001, as it sounds almost identical to the works put out during that time by Freternia, The Storyteller, Falconer and Insania. The only modern influences come from Timeless Miracle in the melodies and the occasional nod to DragonForce in the solo department. Really, this is Swedish Power Metal of the highest order, full of excellent riffs, catchy refrains, and the low but powerful vocals of Stefan Jacobsen, who has more than a snifter of Matthias Blad about him.

As you can see from the cover art, there is a Nordic touch to Chronicles Of The North, with the keyboards adding a lot of that frozen atmosphere, but for the most part this is a warm album, packed to the brim with songs that will have any self-respecting Power Metaller grinning from ear to ear. Considering these guys met on the production line at a Volvo manufacturing plant, it's amazing they could encapsulate the style so well. Every track on this debut has something to love about it, but "Daylight Retreats", "The World Is Dying" and the sublime "Warrior Kings" stand out as the strongest cuts. It's been a while since Limb released something as good as this, and from the moment it begins until its final note, Chronicles Of The North is an absolute pleasure.