Mob Rules' 'Rise of the Ruler' - Album Review

It feels like a while since I last reviewed some out-and-out power metal. A few power metal-adjacent releases have been written about over the past few months - but it was likely Avantasia's excellent Here Be Dragons (which I reviewed here) back in March when I last covered some proper power metal. One of the year's biggest power metal releases will be reviewed next week, and there are no prizes for guessing which album that will be, but today we are turning to perhaps the genre's second or third division to cover Germany's Mob Rules - a band that have been plying their trade since the mid-1990s, eventually releasing their debut album Savage Land in 1999. Mob Rules was a name I had been familiar with for a while, but it was not until I saw them opening for Eden's Curse in London in 2019 that I actually started to pay attention. I was impressed with the band that night, despite the really poor turnout, and I soon picked up a few of their albums - including latest release at the time, Beast Reborn from 2018. Since then I have picked up a few of the band's other albums, which I have enjoyed, but I cannot say that I have given them much love. Power metal in general is not a genre that I tend to listen to as much as I once did - but that has started to change somewhat again over the past couple of years, so Mob Rules deciding to drop a new album has somewhat come at the right time. This is because last week the band released their tenth studio album Rise of the Ruler - their first in seven years. For the band's long-time fans, the wait between Beast Reborn and Rise of the Ruler likely felt like a long one and it was easily the longest gap between albums in the band's career. I am not sure what made Mob Rules wait so long between releases, but perhaps they were somewhat struggling to follow up the excellent Beast Reborn, which is easily my favourite thing I have heard by the band, and, of course, some bands essentially went into hibernation for a significant period in and around the pandemic - which may have been the case with Mob Rules. Seven years on from Beast Reborn, though, Mob Rules have come out of the blocks roaring - with Rise of the Ruler being a very solid and enjoyable power metal release. More Iron Maiden inspired than perhaps would be expected given that they are named after a Black Sabbath album, Mob Rules have always sat at the crunchier end of the European power metal scene. Dual guitar leads, atmospheric keyboards, and frontman Klaus Dirks' gritty voice have always been mainstays in the band's sound - with Mob Rules being more Firewind than Freedom Call. This is no bad thing, as I tend to prefer crunchier power metal these days, and Rise of the Ruler treads the line between melody and a more metallic nature nicely. Dirks is the only original member left at this point, and has been since 2018, but with both guitarist Sven Lüdke and bassist Markus Brinkmann having been in post since 2005 Mob Rules' line-up has been fairly stable over the years despite plenty of line-up changes. Keyboard player Jan Christian Halfbrodt has been in the band for 15 years at this point, too, but Rise of the Ruler does see debuts in the studio for guitarist Florian Dyszbalis and drummer Sebastian Schmidt - who have been in the band since 2019 and 2023 respectively. Rise of the Ruler is a concept album, a returns to themes and stories from the band's past - picking up where the stories told on Savage Land and 2000's Temple of Two Suns left off.

I am not familiar with those two albums, so I have not followed the concept of this latest release - but doing so is not a pre-requisite for enjoying the songs here. There are some occasional narrations from Timo Südhoff which no doubt play a part in the story - but they help to set a strong atmosphere regardless. Südhoff is present during the otherwise-instrumental intro The Fall of Dendayar, which is largely a symphonic scene-setter with Halfbrodt's keyboards, subtle guitar leads, and the spoken word setting the tone for what will follow. It leads nicely into Exiled, which roars into life following the gentle intro with a crunchy power metal riff. The song is a very good example of Mob Rules' core sound. The keyboards are there, but they do not tend to lead the charge - with the band's two guitarists allowing for plenty of crunch. Lüdke, the band's lead player, throws in a few hooky lead-based riffs here against the crunchy chords of the rest of the band - with these hooks contrasting nicely with the gritty vocals of Dirks. The back and forth between the vocals and the guitars in the verses are what keep the song ticking, whilst the mid-paced double bass drum pattern of Schmidt whips up plenty of crunch. The chorus is a bit more cinematic, with the pace picking up somewhat and the keyboards coming more to the fore. Subtle vocal harmonies and more of a symphonic approach really allow the hooks to shine - and the faster chorus is a memorable one. A slow-burning solo section later shows more of what Lüdke brings to the band and the song gets the album underway nicely. Future Loom picks up the pace, with a flashy guitar lead driving everything - showcasing that aforementioned Iron Maiden influence. Sometimes Mob Rules can be quite mid-paced and very traditional metal in approach - but faster songs like this showcase the band's power metal credentials, and the pace here feels exciting thanks to the ever-present double bass drumming from Schmidt and plenty of atmospheric keyboards. The fact that the guitars drive Mob Rules, though, means that there is always plenty of heaviness - with the opening lead feeling tough as well as melodic, whilst the verses are also filled with busy guitar playing. In fact, Lüdke never really lets up throughout. There is generally something going on beneath Dirks' powerful singing, with the verses and the chorus both having a kinetic energy thanks to Lüdke's guitar leads. Dawn of Second Sun opens slowly, with subtle guitar melodies and keyboards interweaving to set a calming tone - over which Dirks soon starts to sing. It is a change from the crunch of what has come before, with ballad-like tendencies filling the early moments of the song. Medieval-esque melodies are present early on, but the song soon grows in stature - with the first chorus seeing the rest of the band crash in to allow for a powerful, mid-paced melodic feast. Lots of the choruses here are memorable after only hearing them a couple of times - and this one is no different. There is plenty here to sing along to, and this track largely maintains its heaviness following the first chorus - even if the verses are a little more restrained than is sometimes the case for Mob Rules. A busy guitar solo section later sees some harmony guitar leads included for additional power and melody.

Back to Savage Land is another powerful mid-paced track, and it opens with some harmony guitar leads before morphing into a crunchy yet energetic track with a strong groove throughout and another massive chorus. It may well be my favourite track here. It is extremely infectious and it is probably the song here which reminds me the most of Beast Reborn - where basically every song was as hooky as this one. There is definitely a bit more drive and crunch throughout this album, with the songs not being quite as hooky, at least immediately, but this song grabs hold from the off thanks to the use of harmony guitar melodies, the occasional keyboard lead in the background, and Dirks' excellent vocals. He is full of character here, with the chorus in particular being a winner thanks to the big vocal harmonies throughout. There is also a lengthy guitar solo section which sees Lüdke demonstrate a lot of different styles. This is the sort of song which feels like it is going to be a live favourite going forward. Trial and Trail of Fear opens with a slightly floatier melody over a crunchy backing - with the song being another mid-paced rocker. Unlike many of the tracks here, though, this is very much grounded in the Judas Priest tradition of heavy metal - with almost an AC/DC-esque drum groove during the verses which give the song a simplicity which differs from most of the others here. This drum pattern with Judas Priest-esque riffs works nicely, with the keyboards adding a little extra flash and Dirks' voice shining through. The chorus is a bit more typical of the band's core sound, though, with double bass drums taking over and more of an overt power metal sound with aching guitar leads and harmony vocals. Providence opens with clean guitar chords and some slow-burning guitar leads, and it feels like it might be a ballad - but soon Schmidt's percussive drumming joins in and it is clear that the track is going to grow into something more. It does indeed grow, but the track is a bit more dynamic in arrangement than some of the others here - with clean guitar chords often adding colour to parts of the track even when the band are rocking out. There is a bit more groove throughout the piece, too, with the main riff backed by some groovy drumming that is a bit different from the norm - whilst the slightly cleaner verses and heavier choruses allow for the pace to feel a bit more varied. Cutting guitar leads and solos are used to good effect, too, with the leads feeling a bit more precise here than some of the more high-octane shredding heard elsewhere. Nomadic Oasis is a bit more of an expansive piece, and it also opens in a slower manner - with clean guitar melodies and subtle keyboards forming a basis for Dirks' expressive vocals early on. Despite his grit, he still sounds good when singing gentler pieces - and this song generally mixes gentler moments with tougher moments for a powerful and more dynamic sound. The clean guitar melodies from early on often rear their heads throughout - either on their own or in the background - but the song generally has plenty of crunch despite this slightly different approach. Portions of the song feel slightly more progressive thanks to this mix of crunch and melody, but the chorus is very typical of the band's core sound - and it is another which really grabs hold immediately. This balance of hooks and a more cinematic sound makes the song another overall highlight for me - with plenty of lead guitar firepower later on in the song to take things to the next level.

Coast of Midgard picks up the pace following a few more mid-paced and dynamic pieces, with the song being a pretty high-octane power metal number. Whilst not as fast as some power metal bands, there is plenty of energy whipped up here - with Schmidt adding plenty of gallop to parts of the song with his double bass drumming. The opening guitar leads return to that Iron Maiden influence in a big way, whilst the verses are packed full of crunch thanks to the two guitarists really laying into their riffs - alongside the occasional lead guitar flourish. The keyboards also play a bit more of a bigger role here, too. Generally they still provide an atmospheric layer rather than really get involved, but some AOR-esque keyboard stabs during the chorus provide a slight counter to the heavy gallops which back Dirks' anthemic vocals during it. It is another very hooky chorus as a result, whilst another big guitar solo is also a highlight - with some bluesier melodies thrown in alongside the usual shredded approach. After teasing a couple of ballads earlier in the album, On the Trail is the album's only true ballad - with guest vocalist Ulli Perhonen adding her voice to harmonise well with Dirks throughout. Acoustic guitars and strings back Dirks' slightly more emotional delivery - whilst Medieval melodies once again form the basis of the guitar patterns when the vocals step away. It is a simple song in the context of the album, but the all-enveloping keyboards and the rhythm created by the guitars give the song a swinging feel - and the acoustic guitar solo later on is welcome. The album then comes to a close with Equilibrium (Rise of the Ruler), another slightly faster power metal track - but in truth it seems to fuse the band's faster side with their crunchier, mid-paced side to allow for an epic sound to be formed around a crunching, kinetic verse and plenty of big guitar leads. Pulsing keyboards add some grandness, with strings enveloping everything, whilst the chorus follows this more majestic approach with mid-paced double bass drum grooves and some of Dirks' biggest vocals on the album. Harmonies back him up, but this feels very much like his most anthemic moment here - and the chorus is another winner even if it is more grand than overtly hooky. The guitar solo follows a similar vein, too, and the guitar leads generally feel quite precise to allow for the song's grandness to shine through. The song might not be as long or as progressive and some power metal bands would write to close out a concept album - but it certainly feels bigger than many of the songs here, and it fits in nicely with the band's core, crunchy sound. Overall, then, there is a lot to like here for power metal fans - particularly those who like their power metal to be a little crunchier and darker than is perhaps the norm. Mob Rules have been playing such music since the 1990s now and have become masters of their craft - with Rise of the Ruler being another strong entry in their canon. It does not really shake anything up based on what I have heard of their back catalogue, but there are plenty of hooks and riffs here which will keep power metal fans coming back for more.

The album was released on 22nd August 2025 via ROAR/Reigning Phoenix Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Back to Savage Land.