The disc opens with a rip-off of Acid King's "Electric Machine" as an instrumental fanfare and picks up momentum quickly, almost boogying at times. "Lament for the Aurochs" is another pastiche, aping High on Fire in an almost legally actionable manner. The only real difference is the clean vocals rudimentary though his skills might be, the Sword's frontman actually sings throughout Age of Winters, rather than croaking or puking like so many of his peers. And while the song titles ("Winter's Wolves," "The Horned Goddess," "Barael's Blade") are silly, they're less offensive than Cannibal Corpse's. Age of Winters isn't life-changing, but it rocks, and that's enough.