Review: Van Canto – Dawn of the Brave

Van Canto

Dawn of the Brave

Napalm Records

Street: 02.07

Van Canto = Heavatar + Jester’s Funeral

While Van Canto isn’t treading new territory with this album, their acapella take on power metal has only gotten more interesting and refined with time. Dawn of the Brave sounds refined enough that the band’s vocalized heavy metal arrangements no longer sound as gimmicky as they have on previous releases.

This is partially due to an awesome selection of covers, such as Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero” and Europe’s “Final Countdown.” However, the band’s original material is strong enough to contend with these classic tunes, and the result is a rather impressive album. –Henry Glasheen