The Japanese Jupiter return after seven years of absence with «The Pantheon ~Age of Heroes~», their first record since «Zeus ~Legends Never Die~» in 2019. The band was born from the remnants of Versailles, when four fifths of the group continued under the new name, and at the helm guitarist Hizaki remains, with Teru at his side.
Country: Japan
Genre: Power metal / Symphonic metal
For fans of: Versailles, Galneryus, Lovebites, Unlucky Morpheus
Their sound moves in the core of Japanese power metal: fast, galloping tempos, melodic refrains and solos that spring out of every track at speed. The instrumental «Last Ambrosia» is a celebration for fans of the genre, with the two guitar solos meeting in duets full of mastery. The new rhythm section responds, with drummer Majyu delivering both the characteristic gallop and the fast fills, and Cero’s bass finding its moments on «Call» and «Ecliptic».
Where Jupiter stand out is in the strength of the riffs: compared to the more operatic era of Versailles, here there is more traditional metal muscle, with influences from NWOBHM on tracks like «Burn Through Fate» and «My Enemy», and a thrash corner on «Scorched Earth» that recalls Lovebites. The album’s big weakness is the vocals of Kuze: when his rough sound stays under control it gives depth to the refrains, but often it loses its way and ends up in moments that feel off.
Overall, «The Pantheon ~Age of Heroes~» is a big, energetic dose of Japanese power metal that delivers what it promises: melodies, clean performances and solos. But it does not reach the band’s best samples — the record got 6/10 in the Progressive Subway review — and the years of waiting did not translate into an album that stays. Worth mentioning are «Endless Sky», «Breath of Heaven» and «Last Ambrosia».
See also: Eternity’s End – The Fire Within and All the sub-genres of Metal: The complete guide
