Order of the Emperor are a hard rock band from The Netherlands, this is their debut album.

Influenced by old-school groovy hard rock, this is 41 minutes of rock bliss for fans of the old-school style delivered with a modern sheen.

The vocals are soulful and impassioned, carrying emotion and expression well. The singer exudes confidence and his voice focuses and directs the songs with ease.

Duelling melodies and solos are a common aspect of the band’s sound, infusing the songs with righteous fervour and rocky intensity.

The songs have plenty of good hooks and memorable sections. There’s no shortage of sing-along passages and the music always keeps up a decent pace. The tracks are easy to like and are well-written, with the band obviously knowing a thing or two about the style they play.

With the right mixture of luck, label-backing and exposure, I could easily see Order of the Emperor doing well. Only time will tell.