Michael Schinkel’s Eternal Flame have had a chequered history, one that has roots reaching back to 1986 when they formed under the name FireFox. Over four decades the band’s name might have changed, along with shifting personnel, but the one constant has been guitarist, singer and songwriter Michael Schinkel who has assembled a stellar line-up for the band’s latest album, Man Or God, and with former Yngwie Malmsteen vocalist Mark Boals at the helm, Eternal Flame are burning brightly.

If you are yet to make Eternal Flame’s acquaintance then the introduction to opening track ‘Run’ might throw you in a hex. It’s ethereal and otherworldly, having a hypnotic effect that places the listener in a dreamlike state; its heavenly, orchestral feel is akin to stepping into another world as the keyboards and guitars perform a strange, erotic dance. It means that when the song kicks in at the minute mark, it kicks in with full force; the drums bursting from the speakers like a herd of stampeding buffalo and Michael Schinkel unleashing some explosive guitar work. It’s an excitable sound that exists in the sweet spot between hard rock and melodic metal, never failing to get the blood pumping with its sheer joie de vivre. It is a raucous way to make an appearance and one that sets the bar extremely high for the rest of the record, and in chasing that standard, Eternal Flame render themselves an unstoppable force.

Mark Boals is the band’s (not so) secret weapon, and he really comes into his own on ‘So Strong So Wrong’; from glass shattering shrieks to the bottom register Mark’s voice is akin to having another instrument in the band and it has opened up a lot of musical avenues. It works equally well on all out rockers like ‘Lord Of Flies’ as it does on the ballad ‘Lost And Alone’, the latter being a lighter-in-the-air, certified stadium filler. However, it would be unfair to single out any one band member; whilst the group might contain Schinkel’s name, there’s no rampant ego involved and each musician is equally invested. Fabian Pleiner’s bass is bombastic, Tommy Wagner’s drums are thunderous, Helmut Kohlpaintner’s keys wash over the listener, whilst Michael’s guitar tone is clean and crisp (like a fine German beer). Five individual characters who conspire to create a sound that’s far bigger than their constituent parts, the different aesthetic they each bring results in a multifaceted album. Man Or God exists within its own musical parameters, yet no two songs inhabiting the same sonic space, rendering this an old school album that can be consumed in one sitting (and without your attention flagging).

As with the very best metal, songs such as ‘Into Eternity’ are emotive and evocative and will implant strong images in your mind’s eye. It’s a cinematic quality that comes from musicians who understand that sometimes it is not what you play but what you don’t; it’s about leaving space for the listener to infer their own meaning, and ‘In Trance’ does exactly that. It renders Man Or God a collaborative affair and forges a bond between band and listener, ensuring Eternal Flame will illuminate the metal scene for a long time.

• Man Or God is released via Fastball Music on 30th October 2026.

Track List:

1. Run
2. Lord Of Flies
3. So Strong So Wrong
4. Lost And Alone
5. Right Back To You
6. There Was A Time
7. Bleeding Colors
8. Man Or God
9. Into Eternity
10. No Return
11. In Trance (Instrumental)
12. Lady Of The Lake (Bonus Track)