DARKEST ERA - 'THE LAST CARESS OF LIGHT, METAL BLADE; 2011

It feels tempting to string up comparisons to the current crop of neo-traditional metal of late with this album; yet at the same time it would be unfair to Irish newcomers Darkest Era. Not only do they stand out from the rest of the crowd, but they also deliver a consistent passion and aura of epic fables on debut release ‘The Last Caress of Light‘.

Similarities with viking-era Bathory can be heard throughout the music; and while that might be enough to gage audience attention, it is still not accurate enough to describe the record. Though an epic atmosphere runs as strong as it did for Bathory, Darkest Era opt for the route of Celtic mythology and folklore much like fellow countrymen Mael Mórdha, Cruachan and even Primordial. Yet without necessarily wearing out the same lyrical direction as these bands – a drawback with many on the Norse mythological side – the group manage to steer clear of this in approaching the main template of mixing metal with Irish folk melodies.

Part of this could be attributed to frontman Krum’s fresh-sounding vocals, which though soaring and majestic also draw in a grounded sense of vigour and awe which seem to be missing in much retro heavy metal of late. Another reason may also be that rather than bring in traditional folk instruments, Darkest Era stick with traditional metal and primarily focus on that for their songwriting.

The result is that ‘The Last Caress of Light‘ may well be evidence that the band live up to their label’s claims of delivering “intense emotional power and honesty”, for as a debut LP it certainly showcases a commitment to their craft as musicians and performers. All the same, since this is still a debut album it remains to be seen how else Darkest Era‘s Celtic Metal will grow and develop from their underground roots over to a wider platform.

[7.5]

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LIFELOVER - 'SJUKDOM', PROPHECY PRODUCTIONS; 2011

Most familiar with depressive rockers Lifelover know that they’re not a particularly easy band to get into: a musical paradox of truly unsettling, bleak hysteria and bouncy, melodic post punk-slash-pop rock; the key difference between them and other bands lodged into the DSBM (depressive suicidal black metal) scene is their ability to perfectly straddle the balance needed to pull off both sides of the aforementioned formula to create a delightfully manic sound all their own.

Yet with new effort ‘Sjukdom‘, it feels like they’re somehow lost some of that grip and are riding along in a much different way.

This isn’t to say that the new album isn’t a Lifelover album – each song carries the trademark catchy riffs mixed with cyanide pill madness that only they do so well. What it does mean however, is that ultimately there is something lacking in this record. It could be due to a recently introduced element since last EP ‘Dekadens‘ that the band were shown to be better off (musically) without, and that is heaviness.

For all their influences from the genre, Lifelover were never a metal or heavy rock group; yet it seems hard-pressed to think of where else they could have gotten the idea to bring in heavier riffs and death metal growls. The result is that ‘Sjukdom‘ mainly feels like a clumsy affair which stumbles and drags the audience along through all fourteen tracks; rather than the suicidal merry-go-round that the group already established throughout their career up ’til now.

Perhaps it is because Lifelover want to continue to explore different ventures for themselves in their own niche. Previous fans and possibly newcomers however, may best seek to satisfy themselves with earlier fare ‘Erotik‘ and ‘Konkurs‘ for an idea of how this new album really measures up with their past efforts.

[5]

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