In my review of Wilderuns last album Veil Of Imagination, I said that that Boston band have that sound favoured by Opeth up to Watershed. The expansive progressive rock passages, thunderous black metal phases, duality between good and evil in the vocals, all featured heavily but Wilderun are much more than a blatant copy, they have been honing their sound for a fair few years now and building upon the absolutely wonderful Veil Of Imagination we now have their newest offering Epigone. The record starts off with the acoustic Exhaler, this is essentially a folk song, beautifully orchestrated by Wayne Ingram who has worked with Hans Zimmer's Bleeding Fingers Custom Music Shop. Exhaler draws you into this much darker record, the frenetic acoustic guitars and emotive vocals, building a feeling of introspection, that moves into the second track Woolgatherer.
Here is where we fully get a blast of why Wilderun are quickly becoming the next great progressive metal band. The ambient opening offers us some, Raven That Refused To Sing-era Steven Wilson, coming from bassist Daniel Müller's Hammered Dulcimer, as we are taken into full on symphonic black metal blasting, those bold orchestrations expanding the ferocious tremolo picking, as the clean singing returns and we are brought back into the delicate melodies, before the ominous, darkness builds again. Yes it's very Opeth but if you're going to emulate a band then emulate the best. Notice I said emulate not copy, as Wilderun bring a definite style of their own, upping the symphonic sound more so here than on their 2019 record. On just Woolgatherer alone we have an album of the year candidate but the remaining 7 tracks are all brilliant as well, all featuring personal lyrics that at times cut to the bone, mainly due to Evan Anderson Berry's affecting, expressive croon.
Passenger manages to condense the full spectrum of Wilderuns style into just over 6 minutes featuring Daniel Teachey blasting away with conviction, while also playing a more expansive deft style of percussion when needed as Wayne Ingram provides us with some searing lead guitar wonderment. If there was radio stations s playing this type of music Passenger would be a definite single as it encapsulates exactly who Wilderun are as band as briefly as possible for a prog band. There's a clear cinematic feel to Epigone, the layers of orchestration alongside the freedom to experiment with time signatures, quiet/loud dynamics and pace shifts all highlight this, but also the fact that the last four songs on the record are part of suite are all notable to the far reaching sonic style of Wilderun's fourth album.
Before that though we get shifting, prog rocking of Identifier which laced with mandolin, then evolving into a quirky Devin Townsend-esque offering, built on Bel Canto vocal style at the beginning as they add some Djent heavy grooves that come in the last third. It's definitely the most 'progressive' song on the record. As small interlude, the ambient offering of Ambition, serves as transitional number to the four part Distraction suite. It fades into where Distraction I begins, things heading in the right direction, becoming more ferocious on II, as III drops back into glorious classical soundscapes and the records most dramatic and epic guitar solo, Ingram having his Gilmour moment as we reach the climax of both the song and the record itself.
The finale coming with Distraction Nulla, which is a raging torrent of fury to finish, feeling as if all the emotion that has been eked out across the previous three songs comes to a terrifying head. Words aren't really enough to express how good this record is. It's crying out to be listened to. Epigone is a magnificent album, and this early into 2022, it's going to take something special to knock off its AOTY spot! 10/10
Comprised of long term extreme metal stalwart, lead guitarists Decaylust and Shrapnel, along with J.R who provides drums, rhythm guitar, bass, lead vocals and additional vocalist Prain. Nocturnal Graves are a rampaging, occult/horror/death influenced band who have slowly been climbing up the ranks in their native country, along with forays overseas. It seems a little odd to me that they have a two vocalists when both are using the shouted/growled style.
It seems that this Aussie four piece have been delivering a nasty, savage style of black/death/thrash metal that is reminiscent of other Aussie bands Deströyer 666 and Razor Of Occam. The guitars are biting, sharp and very raw, from the opening distorted moments of Death To Pigs you know what you're going to get with this fourth full length album. Nocturnal Graves have been upping the rage and fury with every record.
These Victoria natives have been harbouring an apocalyptic grudge with each of their albums but with An Outlaw's Stand the band have clearly set their sights on total destruction. Ruthless Fight rages with thrash metal aggression, speeding along at full bore, Across The Acheron takes things in much more black metal direction as does the blistering No Mercy For Weakness. This is the second album with the current line up and they have certainly built on their 2018 release Titan, their first on Season Of Mist, with a vicious follow up that carves flesh from bone.
Conceived in the cut off, pandemic world they hunkered down blasted through the 8 tracks on this record, bringing what has come before together. They not only manage to make a collection of songs that have a violent amount of riffage but on tracks such as on Law Of The Blade there also tonnes of searing leads. 2022 is kicking off with absolute violence from the land down under. 8/10
Feuerschwanz - Memento Mori (Napalm Records)
Released on New Year's Eve the fourth album from Undead Vikings Feuerschwanz sees them return with more tales of epic battles and fantasy wrapped up in a humorous/party vibe and plenty of folk metal trappings. The German band launched this record on New Year's Eve with a live stream album release show, so they have put plenty of work into it which pays off when you listen to the record itself.
The use of violin, whistles, bagpipes and the good old hurdy gurdy, will put you in mind of bands such as Eluveitie and also the party sound Korpiklaani. There's also a greater feeling of introspection and self reflection on this release (as the album title suggests). It's used as a counterpoint to the first pumping fantasy lyrics and galloping riffs. Bringing this record a maturity that they have previously been without, expanding their sound to fireside balladry on Das Herz eines Drachen as well as having a choral effect on the less than festive Krampus. These additions to their defined style that shows a lot of progression for this German band, nothing really goes to far to alienate but it gives them more depth. Fans of the band will lap this up, beers in hand shouting along to the anthemic folk metal (so long as they can sing in German!).
At 11 songs you get a fair chunk of music here however with the deluxe edition you not only get the entire record in an instrumental format but you also have a disc of eclectic covers, with Manowar's Warriors Of The World and Amon Amarth's Twilight Of The Thunder God obvious choices however Ghost's Square Hammer and Bloodhound Gang's The Bad Touch are slightly odder choices. Though they are nothing compared to Dragostea Din Tei by O-Zone and Blinding Lights by The Weeknd both of which are given folk metal makeovers brilliantly. Memento Mori is another great collection of folk metal bounce-alongs, but I do suggest getting the deluxe edition. 8/10
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