review: Iron Savior - Reforged - Machine World

Iron Savior

Reforged - Machine World

Perception/Reigning Phoenix Music

22 August 2025

Disc 1

1. Never Say Die (2025 Re-Recorded)

2. Eye of the World (2025 Re-Recorded)

3. Walls of Fire (2025 Re-Recorded)

4. Time Will Tell (2025 Re-Recorded)

5. Dragons Rising (2025 Re-Recorded)

6. Stonecold (2025 Re-Recorded)

7. Machine World (2025 Re-Recorded)

8. Stand Against the King (2025 Re-Recorded)

9. Break it Up (2025 Re-Recorded)

15:57

Disc 2

1. Contortions of Time (2025 Re-Recorded)

2. Wings of Deliverance (2025 Re-Recorded)

3. Touching the Rainbow (2025 Re-Recorded)

4. I Will Be There (2025 Re-Recorded)

5. Forevermore (2025 Re-Recorded)

6. H.M. Powered Man (2025 Re-Recorded)

7. Starbreaker (Judas Priest Cover)

Especially for new fans, this album is a cool introduction to Iron Savior (Germany), the long-running band (1996-present) known for a pure, traditional, no-nonsense sound in the spirit of classic-prototypical Judas Priest-Accept heavy metal songwriting as their mode of operation. This album here is not new songs, but rather new recordings of songs released on previous albums. It looks like this is possibly the third album in their endeavor to record their songs again. In particular for audiences outside of Germany, this album provides a good view of the band's style over the decades, which consists of pounding-metal songs and anthemic-songwriting, with the rare slower tracl here and there.

It is important to note, I think, that unlike perhaps other bands that may feel that their previous albums did not have the sound quality that the band wanted, Iron Savior is not a band whose previous albums did not have a good sound or a good production. On the contrary, Iron Savior albums have a clear, strong sound quality. They have always recorded their albums well because their mastermind guitarist-vocalist Piet Sielck is an expert metal music recording engineer and producer with a long list of metal bands that he has worked with, including doing the engineering for a bunch of Blind Guardian albums. There is no real music-related or production-related reason to record the songs again. Why? Because these songs already sounded great in their previous form. The band has recorded their older songs for legal and business reasons: Bands often record their old songs again in order to have more control in business situations that are disadvantageous for the musicians.

Personally, I have enjoyed these 16 songs in their new versions, including the last track that is a cover of Judas Priest’s "Starbreaker." Iron Savior is a consistent band, and really, a dream for traditional heavy metal fans that don't like their bands getting all weird, experimental or "trying out" new things by incorporating whatever is the latest fashion. They began as a band that focuses on the best elements of the pure heavy metal of the Judas Priest-Accept style of writing songs: roaring guitars, quality solos, a big rhythm section and strong vocals. In this case, with a powerful midrange to higher midrange male singing, without banshee screaming.

The Iron Savior head honcho Piet Sielck was with Kai Hansen all the way back in 1978 in the early version of what would later become Helloween, and Piet came out with Iron Savior and the first album (1997) had the participation of his old friend Kai Hansen. In 1997 Piet was 34 years and right now in 2025 he is 61 years old. A couple of years ago he went through cancer treatment. Therefore, as you would expect, the voice of a 61-year-old man in 2025 who has gone through cancer treatment, after decades of performing, recording, and no doubt, overworking himself as a musician and studio engineer, is different from the young man in 1997. Even though his voice has changed, sounding more melodic but also less muscular, this older Iron Savior delivers good, fun performances on the album. Lastly, while this review is mostly for fans outside of Germany (I live in the U.S.), it should be mentioned that longtime German fans might not feel as motivated to have duplicate copies of the songs. If you already own the previous albums, it is reasonable if you want to think twice before buying this album.

Eye of the World (2025 Re-Recorded)

Walls of Fire (2025 Re-Recorded)

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