Folk metal chieftans ENSIFERUM take to the sea.

Whore Of Babylon SILVER LINING MUSIC

Symphony X bassist goes down a more primal path

For more than two decades Mike Lepond has provided a sturdy rhythmic backbone for New Jersey progressive metallers Symphony X. As implied by the name, this is the virtuoso bassist’s own project. Although commonalities between the two entities exist – metal and mythology, notably – stepping out alone allows Lepond to indulge his pure metal fantasies. Bandmate Michael Romeo is a notable absentee but album number three once again features the evercapable Alan Tecchio (Watchtower, Hades, Seven Witches) on powerhouse vocals. Save for the alarmingly flimsy Night Of The Long Knives and the equally hideous

Champion, which come back-to-back, this is furious and often frantic stuff. To his immense credit Mike Lepond resists showboating, shining the spotlight instead on the material, and he can be rightly proud of old-skool bangers such as Dracul Son, Ides Of March, Ironborn and

Lady Bathory. ■■■■■■■■■■

FOR FANS OF: Manowar, Saxon, Judas Priest

DAVE LING