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Traveler, one of the best bands of the new wave of traditional metal movement, in my opinion, is back in 2024 with their third album, Prequel to Madness. If you've heard their previous releases, you know what to expect and once again, Traveler delivers the metal goods. Infectious riffs, speed to spare, hook-filled choruses abound and, while some songs are a cut above the rest ("The Law," "Heavy Hearts"), there is no shortage of ass-kicking metal anywhere to be found. If I wanted to say anything negative about Prequel to Madness, it would be that it is very similar to the band's previous albums and doesn't necessarily improve upon them, but when music is this consistently excellent, that is just petty. As always, there's a strong Iron Maiden influence in Traveler's sound but I also can pick up some early Queensrÿche this time around, along with bands like Omen and Grim Reaper. If you haven't heard Traveler before, you can start with any of their albums but, honestly, just grab all three and buckle up.