Armored Dawn is planning an assault on Europe! The Brazilian hard rock outfits are shaping up like real contenders, with their latest album being overseen in some style by Halloween producer Tommy Hansen, and Fernando Giovannetti. It is a powerful record indeed – and you can get a brilliant four-track sampler with the new issue of Hot Press, with the Kings of Leon on the front.

“That was a dream come true,” says Armored Dawn’s front man Eduardo Parras of working with Hansen. “He is spectacular – we called him The Wizard. He’s so intelligent and so knowledgeable about this sort of music.”

Hansen’s input wasn’t just in terms of studio craft either.

“He changed so much,” Eduardo says. “He added a lot both in terms of ideas for composition, as well as the arrangements themselves. He even played a keyboard solo on ‘Far Away’.”

The free CD opens with the powerful ‘King’ – and it is a feast of big riffs and loud music – exactly the sort of thing that your mother asks you to turn down! The full track listing is: 1. King; 2. Viking Soul; 3. William Fly (The Pirate); 4. Far Away.

Tracks 1, 2 and 4 were produced by the Hansen/Giovannetti team, with US producer Johnny Andrews handling desk duties on the epic, and at times Lizzy-esque 'William Fly (The Pirate)’.

The Brazilian six-piece make a great noise. And they are keen on establishing a foothold in Europe.

“We go to Europe to support Fates Warning in January,” Eduardo relates.

For the uninitiated, Fates Warning’s breakthrough album was the 1986 opus Awaken the Guardian. Their latest album is Theorise of Flight, released earlier this year.

Armored Dawn's 4-track EP, Power of Warrior, is free with this issue of Hot Press.