Hymns to Steel

There are few bands who can bring the metal spirit alive, I mean in a lyrical-epic style. This is due to the fact that a lot of bands don't stop labeling "true" and "poser" on every damn person that comes into their lives. Some of them are just parodies and others are just pethatic. Then there's the small dose of bands who can get away with it. Why? I don't know, they just can. Majesty and Manowar for example. Nevertheless, in the underground scene it's even more difficult. In my opinion there's only one band that never disappoints and are the strongholders of this mentality, they are called Emerald. No, not the Dutch old school heavy metal band Emerald, I mean the Swiss Emerald.

A band that covers Crimson Glory, Virgin Steele and the absolute masters of cult epic metal Medieval Steel and does this in a way they do not offend the original songs, well, that happens not too often. Emerald was able to do it in a way that the purest matter of those songs is abstracted and made into form by Jvo's unique and brilliant voice. A voice that actually isn't too sophisticated (and for some it even sounds amateuristic), but a voice that comes close to being one of my favorites in the whole metal scene. The real reason I cannot give, 'cause I'm not able to explain it properly. I suppose it has something to do with the utter and honest melancholy that is hidden in Jvo's vocals. Because of that it all sounds so sincere, so pure.

This album again has it all. The epic and melancholic sound -which makes Emerald one of my favorite underground bands- overrules from the first 'till the last second. A hymn to the metal spirit ("Hymn to Steel"), an ode to what they ought to be one of their influences ("Azrael"), a ballad drenched with romantic melancholy ("Will You Ever Return") and the brilliant, heartbreaking endsong ("Bard of the King"). An album that gives me goosebumps from beginning to end and is one of the best releases of 2007. If Romanticism had a power metal band to represent it, Emerald would be it. Epic tales, melancholy, the sentiment for past times completely absorbed by their nostalgic personality and a voice that just fits this whole picture.

"Calling the Knights" still is my favorite album, but "Hymns to Steel" comes doubtlessly on a second place. The band that already wrote history with its "Emerald Knights" shouldn't be too modest and place themselves underneath bands like Medieval Steel - they should be counted as fellow warriors of the greater good (i.e. metal as it would sound in long lost times). Therefor I cannot but applaud that they found a label that will give them the chance to grow inside this environment, 'cause Pure Steel Records is without any doubt one of Germany's most dedicated labels (although the label itself hasn't been around for too long, their managers certainly are).

It is needless to say that I would recommend this band to everyone on this whole damn planet, but at the same time I realise this band hasn't got the actual mainstream capacity. For that, they're bound to stay underground. Hail to Emerald, defenders of a long lost genre.

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