Black Majesty – Oceans of Black
Review By: George Andritsakis
Review Score: 9
We all know Record Label PR announcements are intended to puff up that specific release to the hilt. However, the Scarlet Records announcement announced the latest offering by Australian Power Metallers Black Majesty, they claimed the boys are back with a vengeance. They weren’t kidding.
From the opening riff of Dragon Lord all the way to Ghost in The Darkness’ fade out, Oceans of Black is 59 minutes of pure audio power the likes of which can only be comparable to genre juggernauts like Dio, or Stratovarius, with John Cavaliere’s vocals very reminiscent of Timo Kotipelto while the twin axe attack by Hanny Mohamed and Clinton Bidie apply blunt force trauma to listeners far and wide. As a Jackson Guitars axe-wielder myself, I automatically noticed the crunch and ferocity of Hanny Mohamed’s Jacksons throughout the album, as distinctive as they are. I would genuinely love a complete run down of his rig, though.
Back to the album at hand though. The first two singles, “Dragon Lord” and “Set Stone on Fire” make the listener realize just WHY we are into power metal. The soaring vocals, piercing guitars, and galloping rhythm are plentiful, and we are here for it. Album standouts (for me) would have to be the title track “Oceans of Black”, “Raven” “Lucifer”, and “Only the Devil”. I have been blasting these tunes on repeat and as loud as my ears can handle. “Hell Racer” can only be described as something akin to Rainbow’s “Death Alley Driver” on steroids and then jacked up to 11. The solos alone will melt your face off. “Got a Hold of You” is a slower paced, beautiful ballad showcasing John Cavaliere’s range and emotion, yet another complete standout on the album, and one I’m hoping becomes the next single.
The critique I have though is, why is Black Majesty not bigger or better known? OK, aside from being an Australian band and the logistics of getting them on the road in the rest of the world, but hey, AC/DC is from down under too! These guys deserve to be on the biggest tickets the world over. I can definitely see them co-headline a tour with the likes of Helloween, Hammerfall, or Beast in Black. C’mon now!
The album itself is well produced and mixed but sounds kind of tinny. Maybe it’s just the equipment I was running it though, I don’t know. That’s really the only thing. This album is worth ever last red cent, and I strongly urge every power metal fan to add this to their collections.
Genre: Power Metal
Label: Scarlet Records
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Playlist:
1. Dragon Lord
2. Set Stone on Fire
3. Hold On
4. Raven
5. Lucifer
6. Oceans of Black
7. Only The Devil
8. Hell Racer
9. Got a Hold on You
10. Here We Go
11. Astral Voyager
12. Ghost In the Darkness
Line Up:
Vocals: John Cavaliere
Guitars: Hanny Mohamad, Clinton Bidie
Bass: Evan Harris
Drums: Zain Kimmie
Keyboards: Hanny Mohamad