Reviews: Gnod, Fallen Sanctuary, Runemagick, Thronehammer (Mike Bailey, Matt Bladen, Myrto-Panagiota Zacharof & Mateusz Stefanow)

Gnod - Chronicles Of Gnowt: Vol 2 (Rocket Recordings) [Mike Bailey]

Gnod is a musical collective from Salford, that features Paddy Shine, Chris Halsam, Marlene Ribeiro, Alex Marcote and Andy Blundell, amongst other collaborators. Because of the experimental nature of their music, it allows for wide departures in tone, energy and feel. Chronicles Of Gnowt (Vol 2) is an unrelenting journey through a vivid and nightmarish landscape.

Vocals are raw, shrieked over the top of a wall of distorted guitar and bass. The drum pierces the gloom with sharp assaulting snare, while also providing a deep pulsing beat beneath. This is not an easy journey to undertake.

Even track 3, the first reprieve from the sonic assault, is shattered by the barks of The Traveler Returns. Strangled – the final track – is a 12min drone of guitars, bass and drum, that builds a driving cacophony. This is accentuated by by the poetry and performance of Lauren McLean. There is a groaning inevitability to the track, punctuated at minute 2 by an air raid siren, that then continues as the press of the noise builds and builds. 

As long as the track it, it still doesn’t overstay its welcome. This sentiment is reflected throughout the whole record. For as much as you are able to dwell in each track, the record is only 5 tracks long so it is over almost as soon as it begins. Knowing that this is the second volume of a tryptic being released this year, and how much of a departure this is from Volume 1, I cannot wait to see what volume 3 brings. 8/10

Fallen Sanctuary - The Gathering Of Dreams (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

After AFM Records called it a day many of their signed acts had difficult choices to make, signed somewhere else? Release independently?

Well for Austrian/Italian supergroup, they decided on the latter deciding to crowd fund their sophomore record The Gathering Of Dreams, which is now with us and promises more melodic power metal inspired by the European legends of the genre.

It's the follow up to their debut Terranova in 2022, and for the band comprised of vocalist Georg Neuhauser (Serenity, Warkings), guitarist/vocalist Marco Pastorino (Serenity, Temperance), bassist Gabriele Gozzi (Eternal Idol) and drummer Dario Capacci (Trick or Treat), it's a different style to the more Symphonic or Teutonic sounds of their day jobs. 

Inspired more by Sonata Arctica and Stratovarius, the tracks are filled with pace, 90's keyboard sounds, shreddy guitar gallops and anthemic choruses where Georg's vocals carry the majority of the tunes, as Marco adds harmonies and co-leads for a couple of tracks.

Both are very established and extremely good singers in their own right, so this balance works really well with the melodic power metal style of The Gathering Of Dreams, as both also handle the production, again with experience behind the desk for numerous artists as Aldo Lonobile of Secret Sphere taking the mixing and mastering. 

It makes for a grandiose version of those early 2000's record that grew power metal in Europe, the band name even coming from Serenity's second album in 2008, before they focussed almost exclusively on historical concepts, so there's plenty of veteran instinct behind the band and this record, which can be heard across the eleven tracks.

While the debut established what Fallen Sanctuary bring to the table this second record cements their melodic power metal sound heavily influenced by the bands I mentioned earlier, The Gathering Of Dreams feels very retro in its style but brings it all bang up to date. 8/10

Runemagick - After Chaos: Nocturnal Vigil (Hammerheart Records) [Myrto-Panagiota Zacharof]

One man band Runemagick's new album is a listen for eclectic tastes. Despite the cover artwork, that sets the tone for Viking/Pagan/Celtic references, Runemagick do not have significant references, poignant regarding lyrics or sound or vocals, other some shamanic sounds. The album comprises of 8 songs, with the opening track After Chaos, setting the tone. 

A 13 minute song matched only by the outro Into The Endless Continuance of 12 minutes , both songs being an amalgam of slow doom/death metal sound interchangeable with slightly faster tempo , death metal deep vocals , long musical pauses between the actual singing parts where the band is showing their technical prowess.

It’s definitely an interesting listen, however the length of the songs makes them hard to follow, they sound more like soundtracks to a story existing in the psyche and mind of their creator or pieces of music compositions than actual songs. The records second track Rune Magick Unbound has a promising atmosphere at the start, with a clear sound production, stronger doom metal influences, building momentum with drums, vocals from the abyss and heavy riffs, only to drag along for almost 9 minutes, leaving the listener a bit confused. 

A similar pattern is followed in the third song namely Nocturnal Vigil, a song closer to the classic death/black metal tone, continued by Urdu’s Cosmic Weave and The Abyssal Continuum with a great start, lots of tempo changes that only end up deflating the listener due to long length and the so many different tunes trialled in each song. Formless Dawn and The Vast That Knows No Shape are in my opinion the prominent songs of the record, very slow rhythm, nicely changing past the first two minutes and locals literally from the darkest abyss. 

Overall, a record that would appeal to listeners that appreciate long slow heavy atmospheric music. 4/10

Thronehammer - Slay| Kill | Erase (Supreme Chaos Records) [Mateusz Stefanow]

My opinions on death-doom have changed a lot since I began listening to more extreme music, initially I was definitely not a fan, preferring the two subgenres separate, then with time and experience the combination really grew on me. I was very excited to see that Musipedia of Metal had sent me Slay Kill Erase for this reason. 

Unfortunately this album isn’t completely for me, but regardless there are definite strong sides to this album. Coming in at about 73 minutes this album will take a while to get through, but with the average song runtime just barely exceeding 10 minutes none of them overstay their welcome.

This album is comparatively more doom inspired, with sludge and death metal elements scattered throughout, thematically focussing on epic/high fantasy vibes, which may be right up the alley of Crypt Sermon fans. The title track has some clean vocal segments that I personally don’t enjoy too much, but the growls are simply outstanding. 

I may be placebo-ing myself due to the recent release of Runemagick’s most recent album, but I can see resemblances in the guitarwork, which is absolutely not a complaint. Rise Of Resistance has some interesting balancing between the riffs and post-metal segments, with pleasant tones and possible Candlemass influences throughout.

This review has been a little shorter but sadly this album isn’t for me, however if you prefer death metal to play a more supplementary role, enjoy fantastical soundscapes with clean and growling vocals then this album is definitely for you! 5/10