Armory – Echoes of the Astrolith
Release Date: 23rd October 2026
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Bandcamp
Genre: Speed Metal
FFO: Enforcer, Skull Fist, Vulture.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
Gothenburg, Sweden’s speed metal quintet Armory are back with a vengeance on their fourth album, Echoes of the Astrolith, releasing Friday, October 23rd, via Dying Victims Productions. The album features G. Sundin and N. Ingelman on guitars, A. Holmström on drums, and J. Lundin on bass. The band also welcomes new vocalist C. Rostoff, who certainly makes his presence felt. Press releases for the band indicate that they kick it into an even higher gear on Echoes of the Astrolith, embracing a darker, heavier sound. However, considering where they left off with 2025’s Black Star EP, surely Armory is in overdrive by now? Let’s find out.
Return of the True Godz kicks off Echoes of the Astrolith in true Armory fashion, i.e., flying hell for leather straight out of the gate. This track is suitably riffy, and the rhythm thunders along like a runaway horse, carrying us all with it. The track is definitely aggressive, but so far not too evil. However, the night is young. Rostoff’s vocals fit Armory’s sound beautifully, with some gorgeous vibrato on those highs, as is proper. There’s also a fiery solo from Sundin that gives this track a little extra pep. Not that it needs it. You can most definitely hear the Judas Priest influences here, but that’s never a bad thing. The narrative is appropriately outer space-themed, with ancient gods winging their way to our galaxy to inherit the Earth. Or rather devour it. I also like the nod to Agent Steel in their spelling of “Godz,” as in “Bleed for the Godz.”
That glorious TIE fighter engine roar at the beginning of Interceptor Squadron already tells you which way this is headed. For those who aren’t Star Wars nerds like me, TIE interceptors are like supercharged TIE fighters, built to give the rebels an ass-whipping in Return of the Jedi-era space dogfights. But I digress… This track is one of the highlights for me, Star Wars lore notwithstanding. It’s lightning fast and brutal, because what could be more brutal than the Galactic Empire? It has a bit more technicality with some lovely moving leads, and it’s very dynamic, the slower sections allowing the band to build some intensity. The vocals are exceptional, with Rostoff giving us some killer highs but also some fiercer lows. Both Sundin and Ingelman show off their soloing skills, and the lyrics basically reference said rebel ass-whippings. Definitely a fun track.
Cosmic Dreams starts off less manic than the previous tracks, but I’m not mad about it. This track really shows off that darker, more evil side we were promised. The riffs are downright nasty, but the guitar tone is just so good. At first, the lyrics about happy newlyweds floating through space seem at odds with the menacing chord progressions, until you hear the part about the “screams echoing through [their] cosmic dreams”, and you wonder what the heck this couple has been up to out there in the universe. The dynamics are excellent, with several instrumental sections that add some really nice texture and a faster chorus that ratchets things up a notch. Per usual, the solos are perfectly placed, and Rostoff really shows off his range here.
We’re back to the frenetic pace in the intro to Frequencies of Terror, but they really change up the tempos in this track. Just when you think you’re settled into a groove, they pull the rug out from under you. However, it’s not all chaotic. The instrumental breaks help to ground the track, and the harmonizing guitars are sublime. Everyone knows I love a good harmonizing guitar section. Rostoff’s vocals go from that smooth vibrato to eldritch screeches like the man is channeling King Diamond. The “screaming signal calls for terror” sounds just about right.
Omens is primarily an instrumental track that starts out with an insane solo before the guitars drop in and we’re off. These moving leads are quick and lively, harmonizing through the majority of the composition, but there are several places where they diverge, steering the listener’s interest. The driving drums and bass are the perfect foundation to keep everything in check. The tempo picks up around the 2:00 mark, with Rostoff’s ominous “omens…” before transitioning back to the tempo and melodies from the beginning.
Sanity Disposed is another ruthless display of speed and technicality. This track really shows off the band’s Slayer influences, if Slayer played speed metal, that is. Imagine Angel of Death, but faster. It’s very thrashy. That’s probably why this was another favorite for me. We get tons of velocity with no lack of ferocity. It’s also very dynamic, with several dips in tempo at the choruses before building back up to the frantic pace of the verses. Not to mention Rostoff’s inner John Cyriis (Agent Steel) is at the forefront in this track, but I’m hardly going to be mad about that.
In the Final Invention, I’m definitely hearing the Slayer vibes in the guitars again. There’s plenty of squall, and I’m all for it. This composition was also one of the most dynamic, and lyrics like “Computers born with limitless powers, With orders etched in their silicon minds…” bring that creepy Skynet and its modern AI counterpart to mind. At around 3:07, you might be forgiven for thinking the last track ended and another one started. They lean into the theme here, with ambient space-type sounds and proggy keyboards, as if you’re inside the mind of the supercomputer, or you’ve been “uploaded to the hive-mind”. Then all of a sudden, they drop back into the pounding rhythms and screaming guitars from the first part of the song until the abrupt ending. Once again, Rostoff’s vocals don’t miss. The man knows how to hold a note without it going irritatingly sharp or flat.
Spaceworkz is another instrumental with a slower, more stripped-down vibe. Drums and guitars take center stage, but there’s no cacophony of sound like what we’re used to. It’s more as if the lead guitar takes on the role of the voice while the other guitar acts as support, and the drums keep the pace even and moving forward.
The guitars might be a bit slower-paced in the intro, but the drums hint at what’s to come in Astrolith (Rising). The verses are blistering fast, but they drop down to a slower, chunkier tempo during the chorus before lifting off again. There are loads of crunchy riffs, squealing leads, and even chugging in a few places. The instrumental sections are dark and menacing, and Rostoff’s vocals run the gamut here from the highs with the wicked vibrato to almost spoken-to, slurred and screamed. He has a very 70s kind of sound in this track, and it hits just right. That slow, ominous, siren-like outro is the cherry on the sundae. At just around 5:00, they have the time to play with the dynamics to really sell the narrative, and it pays off.
Nothing speaks to 80s-era Agent Steel like Pillars of Fire, which starts with a lovely harmonized guitar intro, building the intensity until they hit the rapid-fire rhythm and riffs on the verses. The chorus barely slows down, only pumping the brakes long enough to shed a bit of speed before they put the hammer down again. This track is what modern speed metal ought to sound like, and I couldn’t be more pleased. The track is also chock-full of scorching solos from both Sundin and Ingelman, interwoven seamlessly through the composition. Rostoff attacks and slides off the first word of the verses, giving the vocals some additional flair. I also like the call-and-response kind of chants in this one, which just screams “Agents of Steel” from the Skeptics Apocalypse album. The only time this track truly slows down is at the end, but you’ll never, ever hear me complain about speed. This might actually be my new favorite track.
Overall, I’m thrilled about this new direction Armory has taken. They made good on their promises for darker and more evil on Echoes of the Astrolith, if only just a bit, but I like that they’re getting more brutal and more technical, too. Speed metal without technical prowess can easily sound sloppy instead of raw. Fortunately, we got steak tartare and not the dog’s breakfast. I don’t know where Armory found Rostoff; some distant galaxy seems likely, but the man killed it. These vocals are absolutely superb. He sounds like he was born to sing speed metal, and maybe he was. I just want him to keep doing it. In true speed metal fashion, the outer space theme was fun and didn’t take itself too seriously. I know we’ve been spoilt for choice with great releases this year, but Echoes of the Astrolith is absolutely a strong contender for a spot on my AOTY list. Do yourself a favor and give it a spin this Friday, October 23rd.
(4.5 / 5)
