Power metal must feel like a constant battle, which explains why so many of the songs are about that I guess. On one hand, bands in the genre face continuing mockery from the metal fans who find it all too silly, or God forbid, too positive, and insist that it's too cheesy to be taken seriously. On the other, there are legions of fans who show up, buy tickets, merch and music, but are always demanding either something fresh or something awesome. So before we get started, I'd like to just tip my hat to power metal as a whole for keeping the roots of heavy metal alive and facing perhaps more naysayers than any other sub-genre of metal.

Rexoria has been a steady hand in power metal since forming ten years ago and unleashing their debut album, "Queen Of Light" less than two years after. They've performed in several countries, and built up a rapport with their contemporaries, as evidenced by the guest spots on "Fallen Dimension," their fourth album. The record immediately tells the listener why they're so highly regarded, with the frankly fantastic, "Metallic Rain," which opens with military communications over a steadily building riff, which then bursts to the forefront. As with many bands of their ilk, the guitars really shine on this track, as do the strong vocals of Frida Ohlin.

"Fallen Dimension" continues to impress with the following track, "Awakening," which has a slightly meaner edge to it, while also taking in the more epic side of metal. The chorus maybe draws a little from the Dragonforce school, but it's pretty good. It's succeeded by "Dancing On The Ruins," a more groovy affair which, appropriately, is a lot of fun and one which will actually see a few dance moves being thrown on the floor when Rexoria break it out live.

While the album starts really strongly, we soon hit a bit of a problem. Every song has a lively charge to it, becoming a battle cry if you will, which is fine individually, but when it's one after the other, boy oh boy does it become repetitive. Don't get me wrong, there are still some unique moments sprinkled here and there, such as the folk-inspired intro of "Dominion," which also features vocals from Tungsten's Michael Andersson, or the cold mountainous vibe of "Himalaya," but they don't feel like enough. By the time "Break The Wave" came around, it was starting to feel a little boring. The album does end differently with the ballad, "Heart Of Sorrow," which is a much needed change of pace, but it really should have been placed earlier.

Ultimately what we have here is a collection of good to great power metal tracks. Save perhaps for the messy "Running With The Stars," I can't really fault any of the songs. The problem is, they mesh together after a while and the impact gets lost. It's akin to playing a role playing game where all the characters have badass armour, except that when everyone tries to look awesome, nobody does. If you simply want more power metal, you'll be pleased with "Fallen Dimension" and you'll find some really good songs that you'll add to your playlists. However, if you're looking for something more cohesive, say for example like the latest albums from Firewind or InnerWish, you're just as likely to feel disappointed by the overall experience.