Swordbearer
continue the good work they began on debut effort Inspired by the
Trees, with their sophomore release, Honor. A far more
mature album than its predecessor, Honor is that rarest of
albums: unashamedly low-fi, but maintaining an epic feel throughout.
As a relatively low-budget, self-produced album, this is some
achievement and demonstrates the quality of the songs. The album
feels epic not as a result of its production and arrangement, but
because of its massive riffs and soaring melodies.
The
album is also remarkably diverse, ranging from Viking metal-inspired
epics ('They Came By Wind and Sail', 'Throne of Ageless Kings'), to
folk ballads ('Release My Aching Soul', 'We Await the Spring'), to
the instrumental metal-cum-neofolk closer 'Where Mountains Meet the
End'.
Intro
track 'In the Name of Glory and Honor' kicks things off in typically
bombastic fashion, and the 9-minute 'They Came By Wind and Sail' is
suitably epic. However, the album loses a bit of momentum with
acoustic number 'Release My Aching Soul'. Not that there's anything
wrong with the song, it's a very well-written number and acts as a
good demonstration of Swordbearer's folky influence, but it comes
slightly too early in the album for my liking.
My
pick of the bunch is the excellent 'Throne of Ageless Kings' -
perfectly written and stuffed full of interesting and diverse
sections, and featuring some ridiculously catchy riffs. The next track, 'Pathway to the
End' is another well-crafted number, again displaying liberal folk
influence, and coming as it does immediately after '...Ageless Kings'
acts as a perfect demonstration of Swordbearer's flexibility, from
epic, black metal-inspired brutality to catchy, acoustic folk.
Probably
the most unusual track on the album is the instrumental closing
track, 'Where Mountains Meet the Sky'. Probably the simplest way to
describe this song is that it sounds like something Judas Priest
would create if they played neo-folk. It's a bizarre but engaging way
to finish the album.
If
I had to pick out a weak point, it would be the vocals. They're fine
and perfectly listenable, but a little uninspiring and don't really
do justice to the compositions. The screamed vocals are distant and
faint, making them sound a little weak, while the clean vocals often
fail to hit the high notes they were aiming for (for example, on 'We Await the
Spring').
Another
bugbear is the keyboard sound. I don't generally like to criticise
too heavily the production of self-released albums because they
inevitably have limited resources to work with, but I feel this is an
important point. The keyboards, intended as a proxy for genuine folk
instruments or string sections, just sound a little bit too
artificial and it detracts from the album's epic sound. This is
clearly a very important element in the music and if this was
improved it could elevate Swordbearer from promising hopefuls to
truly fulfill their potential. It's not enough to derail the album,
but it's frustrating to think what Swordbearer could achieve if they
were given free reign in the studio.
If
you're looking for a smooth, polished product this album is probably
not for you. However, if you're able to overlook the rough and
simplistic production you'll find an album stuffed full of excellent
folk-tinged symphonic metal, with many memorable hooks and a good
range of material that never ceases to engage the listener. This is
an exciting release from a band that is still very young and promises
much for the future.
VERDICT
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