Written by: Nameless_n00b_607

The past is a vast well of knowledge and inspiration, but dwelling in it too much has its perils. Not enough of your spin on things can make your album sound generic and stale, while too much can alienate your target audience. Genres with accessible melodic songwriting are a precarious balancing act in this regard, and standing out becomes even more of a trial by fire. Swedish band Heathen’s Eye is boldly trying to make their mark in these well-traveled lands with their debut Port Inspiro, the Esperanto title meaning ‘inspired by the past.’ Can this freshly formed team of experienced musicians sail through time without getting lost along the way?

The heart of Heathen’s Eye beats comfortably within the late-’80s/early-‘90s borderlands between melodic rock and metal. On the metal side of things, the songwriting channels the anthemic nature of Accept’s Metal Heart. Electrifying guitars by axe wielder Göran Hamrin, accompanied by the soaring baritone vocals of Robb Lindh, are Port Inspiro’s driving force, bringing a welcome Jornian attitude to the record. While Lindh is not Lord Jørn—and occasionally trades away his strengths for versatility—his voice fits the genre like a glove, being often reminiscent of a more rock-oriented Johan Längqvist (Candlemass). In between the heavier bits are traces of Magnum and Journey piercing through, with Mikael Andersson’s wide synth arsenal drifting from bright and nostalgic to dark and mystical between songs. Despite leaning towards the softer end of the metalverse, Heathen’s Eye shows they can still riff, with some unexpectedly hefty guitar and drum work (“Mirrorman,” “Blind”) adding appropriate counterweight to the album.

Confident veteran musicianship makes Port Inspiro turn out to be more varied and ambitious than it seems at first glance. “Ghosts of Yesterday” and “Monsters” both recall the subtly progressive melodic side of acts such as ‘90s Fates Warning or earlier Queensrÿche. This side of the record makes it a good companion piece to something like the recent A-Z album, albeit leaning less towards prog and more towards AOR. When Heathen’s Eye ups the speed and energy, a hint of power metal influence is noticeable too. The record reaches a particular apex when all these separate elements get to coalesce and transcend (“Firepriest”). While I wish the album had more bursts of glory in this vein and spent less time in its mid-paced comfort zone, the material’s catchiness mostly makes up for the lack of speed. The band’s influences coming from more than one place significantly increase the album’s replay value, and a smooth blend crafted by experienced hands keeps the ship well afloat.

Port Inspiro is an enjoyable experience overall, but it suffers from some pacing issues. At 63 minutes, the album quite convincingly sprints past LP length. Its plentiful hooks and variety offer a convincing illusion of brevity, but most songs here fall in the 5–6-minute range, and some do overstay their welcome (“Monsters,” “Time to Deliver”). The pacing also becomes apparent in the album’s clunky middle, where several songs in a row feature lengthy intros, suggesting a mild case of Steve Harris-itis. Another place where the pacing is problematic is that Heathen’s Eye places two ballads almost next to each other. Cutting the somber, stylistic pariah “Lost in the Wind” would result in a more cohesive album. Ultimately, none of these are huge issues, and the album is still a pleasant journey with all 12 tracks ranging from solid to very good. The warm and vibrant production job at a surprising DR10 helps to make Port Inspiro cozy listening from start to finish.

If Heathen’s Eye can further zero in on their songwriting, their good formula here could very well turn into a resounding triumph. Port Inspiro celebrates the past while also combining the band’s influences in interesting ways. It might not be innovative—it doesn’t intend to be—but it does succeed in its main goal: it’s fun. And while some extra trimming and urgency would have further improved the record’s pacing, it still manages to feel shorter than it is. Even with occasional missteps, Port Inspiro is a comfortable listen that has plenty of tunes combining anthemic and creative, inspired by but not stuck in the past. I’ll be curious to see if they can take what they’ve learned and follow up with an even stronger package; momentum is on their side.



Rating: Good!
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: V3 MP3
Label: Pride & Joy Music
Websites Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 27th, 2025

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