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Neaera – Ours is the Storm

Posted in Review with tags Forging the Eclipse, Melodic death metal, Metal Blade Records, Neaera, Storm, Wolf on 15th March 2013 by Freya

Neaera
Ours is the Storm
Released 5th March 2013
Melodic Death Metal
Released via Metal Blade

After three years of silence Neaera strikes again with Ours is the Storm. The German band has been busy touring throughout 2012, and if this album truly is a hurricane, 2013 won’t be a quiet year either.

After a short intro the album kicks into a higher gear with Ours is the Storm, which is also the title song. With this song the band proves that melodic death metal can be quite catchy. I caught myself humming the tune a few times during the day. After this powerful opener, the album rages on and the band carries on the legacy they established with earlier records: songs filled with raw energy and heartfelt lyrics.

Walk with Fire and Guardian of Ashes are two examples of songs who have a powerful and unique intros. They show of the harmony between guitars and drums and their ability to paint a picture ready to be completed by powerful vocals. Slaying the Wolf Within turns out to be the eye of the storm thanks to guest vocalist Nathan Gray from Boy Sets Fire. His clear, almost pained voice contrasts against the pounding drums and diverse guitar lines. This song about people on the verge of giving up and slaying their inner wolf is something many people will relate to.

And yet it seems like something is missing. It all sounds like a well-oiled machine, which subdues the elements of surprise, the few treasures buried in this melodic monsoon.

In the end, this album is a worthy successor for Forging the Eclipse, and Benjamin Hilleke proves yet again that he can master his voice like no other. Ours is the Storm is raw and almost hypnotizing with powerful guitar work and crashing drums. The entire time music and vocals clash into each other and it’s difficult to pick a side because the combination of these two elements sounds spot on.

4/5

Freya Cherlet

Aeurtum – The Fall (valkyrianmusic.com)
Storm Of Embers – I (valkyrianmusic.com)

Storm Of Embers – I

Posted in Uncategorized with tags Cage, Glasgow, Ian Foster, Scotland, Scottish metal, Storm, Storm of Embers, Valkyrian Festival on 14th March 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Storm Of Embers
I
Released 19^th January 2013
Progressive Metal/Rock
Self-Released

Storm Of Embers are a three piece band from Glasgow in Scotland. The I EP is their debut release and features five tracks of the band’s own brand of progressive rock and metal. This band are diverse and their sound is hard to pigeon hole as they draw influences from across the spectrum of the genre. It says on their official Facebook page under genre: You Decide, and after listening to the EP it’s easy to hear why.

A piano intro opens the first track Only In Memory which soon gives way to a solid guitar riff as the band launch into a mid paced rocker of a song with some quality guitar work, bass runs, solid drum beats with heartfelt vocals. This theme carries over into the second track The Cage, for me it’s easily the best track on the EP, which shows a definite harder, faster metal edge to the band’s sound.

The next two tracks Esh and Beyond The Pyres Of Night see the band change style completely – two longer, slower paced almost ballad like songs with a far more progressive feel to them due to a few harder guitar passages and a couple of nice solos thrown in for good measure. Bringing the EP to close is the faster paced Signs Of Remorse which see’s the band return to their harder rock and metal styles of the first two tracks, a great way to bring things to an end.

The quality of the production is top notch resulting in a crystal clear sound with a perfect balance between the music and the vocals. If you are a fan of all genres of rock and metal, Storm Of Embers are certainly worth a listen. Quality songs, quality musicianship. A solid debut EP.

3.5/5

Ian Foster