MAJESTICA – Power Train (Album Review)

Our train has come in.

Though to many the name Majestica refers to a project that seemingly came out of nowhere in the late 2010s and became a major fixture of Nuclear Blast’s heavy metal roster, the story goes far deeper and centers around the musical force of nature and recent social media sensation Tommy “ReinXeed” Johansson. Originally a project bearing the aforementioned guitarist and lead vocalist’s stage name, its musical legacy spans back to the height of the early 2000s European power metal wave when he was still in his mid-teens no less.

Following six studio albums under the banner of Narnia helmsman Christian Liljegren’s Rivel Records, Johansson’s Malmsteen-like virtuosic command of the six-string and songwriting expertise would find a more auspicious home in the ranks of Sabaton, which would in turn find his long-term eponymous project renamed and rebranded into something a tad more happy-go-lucky, but still possessed of the same Helloween-inspired blend of fantasy and adventure-obsessed spirit that originally made Reinxeed name a staple of the European underground.

After their ambitious take on A Christmas Carol, Majestica is back to their roots with Power Train, cranking up the theatrical energy to full blast. This album feels like a return to the vibe of their electrifying 2019 debut, Above The Sky, ditching the concept-driven approach for something more straightforward—but no less over-the-top.

With Power Train, they dive headfirst into a world of fairytales, packing the album with the signature earworm melodies and intricate, Baroque-tinged guitar work that defined the ReinXeed era. But this time, there’s an extra layer of playful self-awareness, almost like they’re fully leaning into every power metal trope on purpose. It’s big, it’s flashy, and it embraces every cliché with the kind of unshakable enthusiasm that makes it impossible not to get swept up in the fun — like watching the northern lights blaze across the winter sky.

The same rhythm section that made A Christmas Carol a powerhouse of speed and precision, namely shred-happy bassist Chris David and Veonity drummer Joel Kollberg, have returned to reprise their roles in like fashion, while the acquisition of Mad Hatter and Morning Dwell frontman Petter Hjerpe on guitar to replace Alex Oriz has arguably increased this fold’s musical gravitas to an even greater degree.

One of Majestica’s greatest charms is their uncompromisingly retro approach to the craft, constructing mighty anthems that could well be mistaken for something that came out over 20 years prior were it not for the upgraded production quality that comes with the present day. Right from the rousing first segment of the opening anthem and title entry “Power Train”, one can’t help but notice the similar brand of consonant and keyboard-rich swiftness that the likes of Freedom Call and Edguy originally brought to prominence in the late 90s.

However, while Tommy’s vocal work encompasses an expansive range that most laymen would struggle to match, the songwriting that is along for the ride is a continual exercise in hook-driven accessibility. Up tempo bangers like the Nightwish-tinged and folksy “No Pain, No Gain”, the neo-classically geared cruiser “Thunder Power” and the rocking gallop and 80s AOR-like “Go Higher” present the most blatant sing-along romps of an album that consistently places memorable anthems a rung above the individual techniques of the musicians involved.

That being said, technical ambition and some adventurous forays into more formally involved material are clearly along for the ride, to speak nothing for a few rather auspicious nods to some of the big names in power metal. Though he only had a brief stint doing live vocals in their ranks, “My Epic Dragon” is about as obvious of a homage to symphonic power metal mainstays Twilight Force as one could get, and ReinXeed’s lead work combined with Kollberg’s insanely on point drumming sells it like it’s the original.

The bass-driven slow march of “Megatrue” channels Tommy’s stint with Sabaton all but to a fault, but also ups the ante via a stellar showing on the 4-string by David, some killer Hammerfall-inspired gang vocals, and a more ambitious execution reminiscent of Sabbath’s “Heaven And Hell”. But the coup de grace that accentuates Johansson and company’s insane abilities at their respective instruments while creating something truly memorable is the epic album closer “Alliance Anthem”, standing as a fairly blatant nod to Stratovarius’ brand of classically charged melodic speed and fury that somehow manages to be unmistakably Majestica through it all.

Whether one counts this as the band’s 3^rd studio entry, or its 9^th considering it is essentially ReinXeed under a new name, few could hope to argue that Majestica is anything other than a force to be reckoned with, if not one of the standard-bearers of power metal. Dull moments are not in this fold’s vocabulary, and the added participation Petter Hjerpe and his corresponding capabilities as both a guitarist and vocal helmsman in his own rite has opened up a richer degree of sonic possibilities to a band where the sky has already become the limit.

Arguably the only flaw to be found here is that Hjerpe’s more Michael Kiske-like vocal persona was not used as a more constant foil to Johansson’s titan-like wail, but the moments where this does occur are nothing short of spellbinding. Somewhere in the same world where the Keeper Of The Seven Keys saw the defeat of evil in the late 1980s, a wacky train conductor and his crew would later emerge and add a fitting sequel to its triumphant soundtrack, fueled by an engine built of pure power no less.

Released By: Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date:  February 7th, 2025
Genre: Power Metal

Musicians:

• Tommy “ReinXeed” Johansson / Lead guitar, lead vocals, keyboards
• Petter Hjerpe / Rhythm guitars
• Chris David / Bass, backing vocals
• Joel Kollberg / Drums

Power Train Track-Listing:

1. Power Train
2. No Pain, No Gain
3. Battle Cry
4. Megatrue
5. My Epic Dragon
6. Thunder Power
7. A Story In The Night
8. Go Higher
9. Victorious
10. Alliance Anthem

Order Power Train here.