International power metal conglomerate Timescale – they feature members from Argentina, Brazil and Portugal –  peddle a genial, largely undemonstrative form of power metal that doesn’t exactly make a lot of waves but still, in an almost circumspect way, remains quietly impressive.

Vocalist Leonel Silva is the focal point, possessing a fine, strong voice ideally suited to the slightly faceless material on offer. For a fair chunk of this album’s run time you’ll find yourself distracted by just how much his voice resembles that of Aussie power metal singer Silvio Massaro of Vanishing Point fame. There are worse people to sound like!

Indeed, the album’s best track, Still Alive, sounds like a mashup (an unlikely one, it has to be said) of UK pomp rockers Magnum and the afore said Vanishing Point; it’s classy stuff, evidencing the experience harboured within the Timescale ranks; a real Iron fist in a silk glove, it shows a band who really know how to craft a song and, once written, how to execute it.

The obverse side of this is the rather clunky Queen of Nevermore, wherein the band try to construct a lyrical narrative by stringing together the titles of Queen songs (geddit?!?!) with predictably depressing results. A clunker is born.

In between these two poles, however, there’s hardly a misstep to be found, with the band walking it like they talk it in pleasing fashion. Guitarist Cleiton Modesto uses the pyrotechnic pedal on his foot board sparingly, deploying an economical style that serves the songs well, whilst drummer Nicolas Humeniuk keeps the double kicks going when required whilst keeping to the shadows when they aren’t. Similarly keyboarder Ariel Perchuk never does more than is strictly necessary; The result of this is a peculiarly sparse form of power metal not found too often these days, a style which is surprisingly refreshing to the ear. These men definitely know what they’re about, an I’d like to fear them develop this ‘less is more’ style in the future.

Axiom is out now.