Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part Two (1995)^{Release ID: 2341}

Virgin Steele’s last album (Pt. 1) was a huge triumph and where they finally found their signature sound. It was also miles ahead of anything they’d done prior. Pt. 2 is amazingly on par with Pt. 1 and jam packed with some of the best USPM that has ever graced the globe. Virgin Steele have a generous amount of true/euro Power Metal and Symphonic Metal in their sound, and the album is laden with synthed strings, horns, and general fanfare.

Really, this thing just doesn’t miss. 13 tracks and almost all of them rip, even the interlude/outro tracks are still good. The drumming here is definitely better than anything prior, showcased well on Crown of Glory, and everything else is the same peak quality as the prior album. Each track does a great job distinguishing itself, be it by a razor sharp riff, some epic key melodies, or memorable vocals (or all of the above on a few!). The album is just amazing fun.

I’ve got no complaints on this one. I don’t know how USPM could get any better than this in terms of a full hour long album. Also, Strawgirl is beautiful, the haters can get clapped.