Mystic Prophecy has unquestionably exercised an authoritative stance in making the heaviest power metal imaginable since “Vengeance” sprouted in 2001. I mean releases early on in their career let you glide on rainbows while little demons attempted poking your feet, but not one similar instance is present on “Savage Souls” Why, you quietly wonder? Well, magic has a not-so-fun tendency to slowly lose power when spell repetition comes into play, and what Mystic Prophecy attempted here displays them dragging on and on with music that has predictable junk written all over it. As its forefathers flaunted, “Savage Souls” is still a thunderstorm-summoning faction that shoots bolts of heaviness from beginning to end, but punching out the usual routine only makes this album a lackluster addition to a great discography.

This record’s finest blessing is also its fatal curse: Mystic Prophecy’s intense power/thrash modus operandi. What was once a well-crafted configuration of zealous unconventionality has endured a zillion rotations without proper upgrades during usage; these fabrics now pour out jejune fumes while expected tones ring on the foundation. Time after time and song after song, Mystic Prophecy depends on generic speed riffs and fast percussion patterns to lift them up, but running on this broken automobile leaves them stranded on vanilla-covered pastures that were once thriving with stellar originality. “Into The Fire”, however, reverts on a softer note, which should be rather refreshing in its setting of sameness, yet the anthem seems too uninspired for pleasing emotions to exist. Not my cup of tea, honestly.

Digesting that sour apple can be a little discomforting on your tender eardrums, yet there are some nice perks working to correct any irritations in sight. Acting as a spoonful of Pepto-Bismol, RD Liapakis once again summons his tremendous voice to fly above and around whatever problematic situation flies his way; you can always count on amazing vocals regardless of the musical condition or lack thereof. Also flexing those enjoyment muscles is great soloing on occasion; however, two microscopic repairs cannot fix an entire album as there is so much more in average territory than anything else. I’m sorry, but placing “Savage Souls” beside “Vengeance” or “Never Ending” feels like a prostate exam from Edward Scissorhands; it’s simply way too weak and inconsistent when stacked among Mystic Prophecy’s other magical efforts.

To summarize, Mystic Prophecy’s fourth full-length expedition artlessly lacks fundamental attributes our Germans buddies acquired primordially, and the result of such a mediocre product after several high-quality items looks extremely dull in comparison to what came before this dopey slump. Grasping onto “Savage Souls” wholly, there are some very worthwhile instances situated at its alpha stages, yet the whole enchilada passively declines into nonexclusive theorems and predictable anatomies on a track-by-track spine, and that’s obviously not enjoyable for anyone to experience. If you’re pondering about grabbing this one, I propose sticking to the full-length trinity that emerged before “Savage Souls”, and then determine whether or not such a grand plummet should rest alongside your other CDs.