Top tracks — play these first
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On Your Knees — This opening track sets the tone for the album with its aggressive riffing and powerful vocals, embodying the band's signature sound.
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Metal Soldiers — With a driving beat and anthemic chorus, this track showcases the band's ability to blend melody with heavy instrumentation, making it a fan favorite.
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Dance of Death — This song features intricate guitar work and a dramatic narrative, highlighting Riot V's theatrical approach to songwriting.
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Racing With the Devil on a Spanish Highway (Revisited) — A reimagining of their earlier work, this track demonstrates the band's evolution while maintaining the energy of classic heavy metal.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong compositions and distinctive power metal elements, though it has some unevenness in pacing.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a high-energy track that sets a fast tempo, which is maintained through the first half before slowing down in the latter part.
- Each song features prominent guitar solos that are interwoven with soaring vocal lines, emphasizing the power metal style.
- Several tracks incorporate dual guitar harmonies, creating a rich texture that enhances the overall sound.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady anthemic energy throughout
- relentless melodic intensity
- for high-energy workouts
- sing-along choruses with friends
Maybe skip if you
- prefer slow, sounds
- not for casual background listening
Where this album fits
- Career context
- The Privilege of Power is Riot V's third studio album, released in 1990 following their previous record, Thundersteel. At this time, the band was solidifying their presence in the power metal scene after a lineup change that introduced new vocalist Tony Moore, marking a significant transition in their sound and direction.
- Stylistic neighbors
- HammerFall· Blind Guardian· DragonForce
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Dance of Death
The climax shifts from a haunting melody to an explosive bridge where the theme of mortality is confronted head-on.
This structural contrast amplifies the emotional weight of the lyrics, transforming an introspective moment into a powerful declaration.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 On Your Knees 6:37
- 2 Metal Soldiers 6:40
- 3 Runaway 5:11
- 4 Killer 4:52
- 5 Dance of Death 7:17
- 6 Storming the Gates of Hell 3:42
- 7 Maryanne 4:55
- 8 Little Miss Death 4:11
- 9 Black Leather and Glittering Steel 7:06
- 10 Racing With the Devil on a Spanish Highway (Revisited) 7:16
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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