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I
love the Greek metal scene. Bands such as Nightfall, Rotting Christ
and Septic Flesh are lightened beacons in the death/black metal
scene. But also on less extreme metal territory, the land with its
ancient cultures has something to offer. Immediate cause for this
finding is listening to the CD ‘War’ of Elwing. The band plays
glorious epic power metal and sounds very convincing on ‘War’.
Elwing began in 2000 under the name Merlin. After quite a few
line-up changes this name was changed into Elwing. The first song
they ever recorded was named ‘Excalibur’. Indeed, the invincible
sword. In that sense the lyrics nowadays still deal with
romanticizing battles of long gone times. ‘War’ tells us about –
what did you think? – glorious victories, going under in a martial
way, revenge and the approaching downfall of certain civilisations.
In 2001 the band released their debut album ‘Immortal Stories’ and
four years later the successor is in the shops. In the meantime they
were signed at the famous Black Lotus Records label.
What
struck me immediately was some reminiscence with Iron Maiden in the
tight riffs and lashings of gracious guitar lines. But worked out in
a personal way, so that Elwing sure cannot be considered as a cheap
copy of bands like Manowar or Iron Maiden. The muscular vocals of
Sakis Koutsasis are marvellous and to make the heroic effect
optimal, some choirs are added sometimes. The rhythm section
constructs a solid base on which both guitar players can cut loose
in free interpretations.
Horse
trampling and the clash of swords are the resolute intro of the
bellicose ‘I’ll Live Forever’. ‘War’ itself rules too, a galloping
instrumental track, almost cheerful. Even in the as a ballad
starting ‘Blood On My Hands’ the band knows how to charm. It erupts
into a mid paced song and one can almost smell the suffocating mist
of the battlefield. In ‘Lost Humanity’ some striking bass runs pass
by.
The band spent five months in the studio to record this album, but
it sounds sure-fire and mature. That the band succeeded in writing a
well-qualified album with that familiar ingredients, deserves my
true respect. |
