BATTLELORE: Sword's Song

"Sword's Song" is an excellent sophmore effort from this Finnish group. In fact, I'd have to say that it's the best album out of the three that Battlelore have released. I just can't get enough of this album! The music this group produces has many influences, but not one inparticular that can be pointed to as being the most prevalent. They sound like Nightwish, Candlemass, Nine Inch Nails, and Malevolent Creation all rolled into one! "Sons of Riddermark" starts the album out with a head-nodding march-step. Kaisa's vox are beautiful & mesmerizing, while Tomi's are non-aggressive in this first song. The title track shows Tomi being a bit more aggressive, though still not going at full bore yet, as Kaisa ever calls like a siren to the listener. "The Mark of the Bear" is a different tune, though no less addictive than the rest. Heavily marked by bass and techno-infused synths, this tune explores a dark, punky feel that can also be found on "Shadowgate", from their first album, "Where the shadows Lie." "Buccaneers Inn" is a fun song, and the song that introduced me to Battlelore. At times (thankfully very few) the group has a nu-metal feel, such as during the chorus of this song, but just when you think you know what the group is going to do next (in the same song) they fly off in another direction, the whole time keeping the song reigned in to where they want it. "Attack of the Orcs" is another awesome tune. It could nearly be categorized as a death metal tune, but with an odd techno groove to it. "Dragonslayer" starts with a solid metal lick, but soon turns into a Battlelore song. You just have to hear this amazing group to appreciate my former statement. "Khazad-Dum part II (Silent Caverns)" is another one that feels like death metal, but also very doom-y & forlorn sounding. "Horns of Gondor" is a beautiful instrumental piece that belongs on the "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" soundtrack. "The War of Wrath" is a song that I feel summarizes Battlelore quite well. All of their elements are here in this one song: the enchanting vox of Kaisa, Tomi's aggressive and non-aggressive vox, plenty of synth, a bit of techno... total metal. "Forked Height" feels like an 80's pop-rock radio song, during the first half of it (like something you'd hear from Pat Benatar or Cyndi Lauper), before blazing off into mayhem, Battlelore-style. "Starlight Kingdom" is another similar to "War of the Wrath" only in that all of Battlelore's elements are heard here. Other than that the songs sound nothing alike, proving that this group can play in a widely diverse array of styles, while staying within the realm that they've set up for themselves. BRAVO!!! Submitted by Nebulae (Burlington, IA, USA)

Tracks
1. sons of riddermark
2. sword's song
3. mark of the bear
4. buccaneers inn
5. attack of the orcs
6. dragonslayer
7. khazad-dum, pt. 2 (silent caverns)
8. horns of gondor
9. war of wrath
10. forked height
11. starlight kingdom
12. the curse of the kings

link
http://lix.in/45d6c9
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