Zach Hietala

Tarot - Spell of Iron MMXI (Nuclear Blast/Riot)

It's a re-release of their classic 1986 debut, one of Finnish metal's finest achievements. But is it relevant and is it worth the effort? Yes; if you don't mind superfluous keyboards and some subpar vocal performances.

It’s like a revered artifact of Finnish metal that’s been dug out of the ground, painstakingly restored by eminent sonic scientists, groomed to meticulous perfection…and