Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Dynazty Sultans Of Sin Company: Stormvox Release: 2012 Genre: Hard Rock Reviewer: EC

Swedish hard rock's familiar formula

A lot of hard rock press and peers have been pretty excited about Dynazty over the last few years. The Swedish outfit have delivered two records in a young career, "Bring The Thunder" (2009) and "Knock You Down" (2011), the last one reaching number one on the Swedish charts and cementing their establishment as a top tier act. Many compare the band to the likes of Crazy Lixx and Hardcore Superstar in terms of Euro stardom and now, just ten months shy of the last record, we get a new entry with "Sultans Of Sin".

The band pass off the control knobs from Chis Laney ("Zan Clan", "Candlemass") to legendary extremist Peter Tagtgren for this new recording. It is an interesting move considering Laney's stout placement in Sweden as a big name producer for hard rock acts. However Tagtgren is certainly no push-over, his work with Astral Doors, Pain and Hypocrisy have been revolutionary in terms of grinding production values that are still clear and vibrant. Same goes with this recording, a soundscape for Dynazty's new aggressive guitar ampage and riffs that seem to turn the heaviness up a notch (or down) from the previous two albums. The band also add a new guitarist to the mix with Mike Laver.

Swedish hard rock's familiar formula runs the race here, sweeping the glam and glitz up with chargers like "Bastards Of Rock And Roll" and "Sultans Of Sin". The band's leadoff single has plenty Def Leppard "whoa whoas" on "Land Of Broken Dreams". The song has a slight power metal feel with the background keys, similar to something Freedom Call or later day Firewind have attempted. The big arena bounce is clearly in place on "Raise Your Hands", a KISS styled anthemic piece that is surely a live "event". The band still keeps the lighter burning bright, two wimpy ballads surface in "Back Again" and "Falling".

Overall this is probably the best Dynazty album yet considering their early payout. It's hard to take this sort of thing serious considering the "rock star" songwriting. I still like the bands that take themselves a bit more seriously but nevertheless this is a fun hard rocking' record and another Swedish entry in what has amounted to be the "Sunset Strip" glory days of the 80s. Who would have thought palm trees and neon nights would eventually erode into the snow swept streets of Stockholm?