Iron Savior albums are down to a specific order at this point, but I mean that in the best possible way. With "Titancraft," we get the usual: power/speed metal cooked with an extra layer of crisp, Piet's brazen voice, blazing speedsters, mid-tempo stomps, cheesy lyrics, memorable choruses, a lame ballad, and the obligatory massive balls. Narrowing down Iron Savior's routine as though it's just a checklist, however, undermines the impressive quality within, and anyone doing so should be labeled an insolent cock. "Titancraft" soars on fantastic speed/power metal riffs biting down with that signature crunch, while Piet's gruff and sharp voice fuels the triumph of poignant bridges and choruses. And that, friends, is how "Titancraft" operates. It is familiar, yet fresh in its own little ways.

The traditional song molds are reused without shame. "Way of the Blade" nails the swift structure of "Revenge of the Bride" to the smallest particle, while the mid-paced march of "Gunsmoke" appears warmly familiar. The power/speed metal bursts of the title track and "Seize the Day" strike accustomed chords that have been monumental bricks upon which the foundation of Iron Savior is built. Dig through the Iron Savior catalog and you'll be hard-pressed to find a chorus more gallant than the centerpiece of "Strike Down the Tyranny," which might be one of the band's finest homeruns. "I Surrender" is the dull ballad that managed to weasel its way into the party, just like "Before the Pain" or "The Demon," two duds on otherwise killer records.