Return of the Warrior

Originally written for http://hailtothemusic.tumblr.com/

Knowing not fear or defeat
Slaying the strong and the weak
Surrounded by our fallen foes
Sweet music their dying woes

My friend lent me this album and it’s my first exposure to this Portuguese band, this being their sophomore album. I’ve given it about 10 listens so far. Their sound is very much in the same vein as Manilla Road and Omen, with musical similarities in every facet. It is quite clear that these bands were heavy influences. In fact I can’t tell if Manilla Road’s Mark Shelton does guest vocals on some songs, most notably Beginning of the End, or if the members are just emulating Shelton’s epic nasally wails. Shelton is thanked in the liner notes, but not credited for any guest vocals. I also wondered if the band’s name was some reference to Italian epic metallers DoomSword but considering Ironsword’s first demo came out 2 years before DoomSword’s I’m guessing it’s just a coincidence.

Like Manilla Road, Omen, and Cirith Ungol, the music is a blend of very traditional metal with a heavy dose of dark and epic fantasy. Not just the lyrics but everything about this style of music evokes imagery of sword and sorcery, fantasy’s darker side. Unlike many European power metal bands that draw from high fantasy, with its uplifting qualities, this style of music is dark and gritty. Instead of elves and wizards on a quest to save the world, we get barbarians performing brutality for their own selfish goals. In fact the album is actually a tribute to Conan writer Robert E. Howard.

Regarding the songs themselves, they are mostly fast-paced and around four minutes long. There are some longer songs but nothing reaching six minutes, and many around three and half. Despite songs being relatively short and to the point they maintain complexity with the help of terrific drumming, riffing, and solos. Each band mate performs well here, even bassist Rick Thor is given chances to shine, especially on Valhalla. Hearing the music you would not expect the band to be composed of only three musicians. Guitarist/vocalist Tann knows when to let a chord ring to give that epic quality, but most songs are fast-paced with quick and galloping riffs; Their fastest song, Death or Glory, one of my favorites, is pretty thrashy and sounds like something from Manilla Road’s Mystification. Solos are well structured and can be quite grabbing. Vocals are mostly gravelly but still maintain melody, along with the Sheltonesque clear nasally vocals. He’s not an especially talented singer, but considering the gritty subject matter and what the album is trying to accomplish I think he fits in perfectly. Arrno Maalm’s drumming is technical, fast and heavy, very reminiscent of… you guessed it, Manilla Road.

Overall I was very impressed with this album. Although it doesn’t do anything that hasn’t already been done, it offers more of a sub-genre that never really got old to me. If you like Manilla Road, Omen, Cirith Ungol, or DoomSword than I strongly recommend this album. However if you are not familiar with this sub-genre I’d recommend Manilla Road’s Crystal Logic, or Cirith Ungol’s King of the Dead first. Since it is so heavily based on fantasy and escapism this music will not appeal to some, but strongly resonate with others.

My favorite songs: Beginning of the End, Death Or Glory

"Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis, and the rise of the sons of Arius, there was an age undreamed…"

Boom! So begins the second CD for inveterate old-school metalhead Tann and his partners in crime, and they knocked this fucker right outta the park. The debut CD was hampered by bad production, but was still one of the albums I played most last year (and this year too). Still hardly a week goes by when I do not give it a spin. So I was majorly stoked for this release. Could this band capture the magic again? All I have to say is "Hell Yes!"

All you fans of clean, prissy, proggy Power Metal and commercialized pap like Dream Evil need to stop reading right now and go back to your cookie-cutter metal. This is not stuff you are ever going to hear on the radio anywhere – this is real fucking metal here. On their debut Ironsword invited some comparisons to Omen, but this one is plainly more influenced by the almighty Manilla Road. So if you don't like the 'Road, then go elsewhere, because this is very much a continuation of the faster, harsher sound of ooold MR a la stuff like "Crystal Logic" or "Mystification". (and I would so love to hear this band cover "The Children Of The Night")

So you will not hear any falsetto wailing or happy lyrics about loving nature, this is Manly Metal. Ironsword are even more obsessed with Robert E Howard than Cauldron Born were, and almost every tune here has a few Hyborian Age references. Ironsword have no gimmick, they just put good riffs together with good choruses to make great fucking songs. The production is fatter than last time, and the drums sound real instead of Casio. Tann's voice is even deeper, gruffer, and more macho than before – no one has ever sounded more barbaric. He sings clean here and there, and carries that off well too, in places he sounds so much like Mark Shelton I could swear it really is the Shark himself, especially on "Beginning Of The End" and "Chronicles Of Nemedia". There is not a single bad song on here, and not a one you won't be headbanging along to in no time. Two spins and I was singing whole tracks in my head while I drove to work – that is fucking catchy is what that is.

The CD case and booklet is waaayyyy better than last time, with a cool cover, full lyrics included, some pictures, and coolest of all: a map of the Hyborean Age on the inside of the J-card. Thumbs way up for that.

Ironsword have managed to stay with the style the forged on the first album, and yet still completely outdo themselves with an album that just spills over with killer fucking songs. This is the very definition of All Killer No Filler, and for oldschool mavens like me this is a complete feast. Barbaric vocals, iron-barbed riffs and smoking leadwork wedded to instantly memorable choruses and lyrics about war – Ironsword is best appreciated with a beer in one hand, an axe in the other, and the volume all the way up. This here is the True Metal album of the year.

Originally written for www.metalcrypt.com

So what we have here ? An epic heavy/metal band from Portugal, when I heard it that I couldn’t believe it, oh I knew Portugal only from its famous explorers and discoverers but I wanted really to listen this new band called Ironsword, I wasn’t really enthusiastic about listening a new epic/metal band, the title Ironsword was somehow cheesy and I didn’t expected so many things from them, just the classical power metal riffs and the orchestral choruses…But I was wrong.

I put the cd on the stereo and I started to yawn but when I heard to the sound of guitar I asked myself “Is this a band of 90’s ?”. Oh, very strange, the guitars had a jangle sound, it was something coming from the buried 80’s, the sound wasn’t polished but really hard and rasping. A fast riff was blowing, the percussion and the drums were holding the rhythm and at last I heard the vocals. The voice was brazen and croaky reminded times from the glory of heavy metal 80’s.

The first song had a really good solo also, pure melody and heaviness combined. And after my surprise which I enjoyed really much I listened to second song, a mid-tempo riff and melodic metal chorus, the voice of Tann really makes the difference in this band, the melodic fast solos also were clinging in my ears. After this we go to the third song and the battle continues, bass drum and fast guitars, here you really understand the spirit of this band. These guys came to stay and make pure epic metal without excerpts. Now, we are in the fourth song “Return of the warrior”, the drum war are beating, I listen the exordium and the guitars and bass burst in the scenery, one of the best in the album. “Brothers of the Blade” is more speed metal, the recipe is simple a rapid guitar riff, harsh vocals and the continuous pounding of the drums, what else do you need ? Listen to the solo and start the eternal headbanging.

After our speed metal break we are heading on another classic Ironsword tune, “Way of the barbarian”, the voice fits perfect in the title, a heavy song maybe with some strong points after the solo it’s faster and harsher, nice sound guys. “The Wench” is the ninth song, another speed selection from Ironsword, I really want to hear this band live, they really make songs for concerts, this song reminds “Pleasure Slave” from because of the woman groans in the middle of it, ok a little copying is permitted! After this we have “War Hymn” one of the most epic tones in the album, the singer changes his voice in some parts here and this is great, I like long-range vocals but I really prefer his cranky voice.

The eleventh song “Death or Glory” starts with drums and continues with a rapid guitar riff, it’s the “thrashier” song in the album, a true battle song, with skilled and fast rhythm changes. The album closes with the bigger in length song, five minutes, a distinctive heavy riff and the song is already built. A very good closing song in this album.

After this I can say that “Return of the Warrior” is a big surprise from this Portugal European Band, I didn’t expect such a really good effort. Ok here you will not listen long-range songs with the extraordinary guitar work, but the album is overall good and enjoyable. Sure the con is that there is no song which stands out but this is the disease of many bands nowdays. However the vocals are the best thing in this album, the production was also good and forceful. If you like classic 80s heavy metal I think that you must have this disc in your collection and sure you must listen to it.