Finding the right fit can be daunting in any facet of life. In the world of Rock-n-Roll, searching for the right players to join your team and be on the same page can sometimes be impossible. It is a challenge many are up against, and back in 2007, Guitarists Rob “Love” Magnusson and John Berg sought the right voice for their new project called Dynazty. Spending months sifting through potential leads, they at last found their frontman, Nils Molin, in the unlikely place of the social media platform Myspace, and the rest is history.
Releasing a total of eight studio albums between 2009’s Bring the Thunder and 2022’s Final Advent, they have ebbed and flowed with styles that range from traditional Heavy Metal to more Power Metal leanings to anthemic ‘80s Hard Rock styles. Defined by an energetic approach to music that is filled with dazzling Metal guitars and Molin’s powerful vocal attack, now in 2025, Dynazty looks to take the next step in their evolution with Game of Faces out on February 14th.
The band’s ninth album, and first through Nuclear Blast Records, a good deal has happened inside and outside Dynazty since their beginnings some seventeen years ago. To start with, Magnusson has rock as the band’s guitarist while Molin has remained their voice, joined by George Egg on drums, as well as key contributors, Guitarist Mike Lavér (who took over for Berg in 2012) and Bassist Jonathan Olsson. This foundation settled into place; the band has successfully built a following around the world thanks to regular international touring, making them a formidable entity in Heavy Metal.
On top of this, an extra outside interest in Dynazty crept up in 2017 when Molin was asked to join up with the massively popular Amaranthe as their leading male vocalist. A factor that may have concerned dedicated Dynazty fans, seeing Amarnathe make take up much of his time, those fears were quickly put aside when it became clear Molin would be giving both bands equal attention.
With all of this in mind, Dynazty came out guns blazing in late 2024 with the release of the brand-new single “Devilry of Ecstasy.” With a high energy and almost danceable tempo, the song combines various elements that send electricity through your veins. Striking the iron while still hot, they then dropped the equally powerful “Game of Faces” in late November before a brief breather, releasing another powerhouse track in “Call of the Night” in early January.
With these three songs swirling around and gaining much traction with streaming and music video views, the question remains: What will be left for the remaining eight songs in the Game of Faces? After all, can they really keep up with the high energy level?
The answer to both of these questions is yes. It is one thing for Heavy Metal to be loud, proud, and full of aggressive potency, but it is another thing when this is matched with fantastic songwriting. With Game of Faces, it seems no more than ever that Dynazty is deadest on creating an album that is from start to finish high octane Areana driving Heavy Rock. Yes, there is a Pop sensibility within these songs, one which you could liken to the ‘80s, but this only makes the music that much more compelling.
In short, the riffs are lean, mean, and memorable, the keyboards lurking in the backdrop are flawless, and Molin’s voice is right on point with a rhythm that hits in all the right places. Really not letting up during one moment, some big standouts beyond the three pre-album releases include “Die to Survive,” “Fortune Favors the Brave,” “Phoenix,” and the irresistible “Mystery.”
Overall, if you are familiar with Dynazty’s past work, this is them at its best. It has all the features that make them who they are, but all with a clarified pinpoint attack. However, for those just learning of Dynazty and are curious, if you like bands like Helloween, Europe, Iron Maiden, or even Bon Jovi, you will love what you hear on Game of Faces. A Metal album worth digging into, Cryptic Rock gives Dynazty’s Game of Faces 4 out of 5 stars.
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