Temptation's Wings - Skulthor Ebonblade
Temptation’s Wings unleash upon us their debut full-length entitled “Skulthor Ebonblade”. This massive slab of southern stoner doom metal will definitely have you raising your level of appreciation for this type of music. I know that I was surprised upon listening to this release for the first time. It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting, but rather an odd and different approach to this particular genre. The end result is a release that will appeal to not only fans of the genre of southern stoner doom metal, but the broader genre of metal itself.
Not only are there elements of the descriptive genres but there are also influences and elements of power and thrash metal that complement each other nicely as far as the riffs go. No single element overpowers the other, but an even mixture of elements is to be found throughout this release. The occasional solo adds further accent to the riffs and tracks as a whole. The drums are pretty simplistic as there is really no need to make things fancy for the sake of it. Here, the drums lay the foundation for the other elements of the music to shine. A traditional style and to the point with absolutely no fillers needed to accomplish this task. A few tracks on this release allow the bass to come to the forefront but, for the most part, is at the right level to support riffs and solos. A great use of the bass on this release. You can tell that it is much more than just an afterthought on these tracks. I wasn’t thrilled with the vocals at first, but the vocals have grown on me. They are not the typical style for this genre, but that is what makes things interesting. The vocals add an alternative influence and element to the music and it actually works. It was a pleasant surprise for everything to come together like it did on this release. I have not heard a band like this before, and their use of so many different vibes and influences shows and proves that they are a band that actually thinks about what they put into their music. They are definitely one of those “fresh air” type bands that do away with the stagnation of genres which other bands are content to feed into.
Overall this is not a perfect release but an interesting one from a unique band with a unique sound that can cause even the most sophisticated metal head to take notice. I urge everyone into any of the genres mentioned to give this release a listen. This is what originality sounds like. This is for fans of Down, Saint Vitus, Iced Earth, Sacred Steel, and Black Sabbath. You don’t find bands like this every day, so don’t let this one slip by.
Not only are there elements of the descriptive genres but there are also influences and elements of power and thrash metal that complement each other nicely as far as the riffs go. No single element overpowers the other, but an even mixture of elements is to be found throughout this release. The occasional solo adds further accent to the riffs and tracks as a whole. The drums are pretty simplistic as there is really no need to make things fancy for the sake of it. Here, the drums lay the foundation for the other elements of the music to shine. A traditional style and to the point with absolutely no fillers needed to accomplish this task. A few tracks on this release allow the bass to come to the forefront but, for the most part, is at the right level to support riffs and solos. A great use of the bass on this release. You can tell that it is much more than just an afterthought on these tracks. I wasn’t thrilled with the vocals at first, but the vocals have grown on me. They are not the typical style for this genre, but that is what makes things interesting. The vocals add an alternative influence and element to the music and it actually works. It was a pleasant surprise for everything to come together like it did on this release. I have not heard a band like this before, and their use of so many different vibes and influences shows and proves that they are a band that actually thinks about what they put into their music. They are definitely one of those “fresh air” type bands that do away with the stagnation of genres which other bands are content to feed into.
Overall this is not a perfect release but an interesting one from a unique band with a unique sound that can cause even the most sophisticated metal head to take notice. I urge everyone into any of the genres mentioned to give this release a listen. This is what originality sounds like. This is for fans of Down, Saint Vitus, Iced Earth, Sacred Steel, and Black Sabbath. You don’t find bands like this every day, so don’t let this one slip by.
- Burning Of Hjalmar
- I' Destroyer
- Into The Maelstrom
- To Forge A Legend (Ulfbehrt)
- Lair Of The Gorgon Queen
- Solitude
- Treachery Of The Blind Raven
- Witches Of Dredmoor
- My Name Was Skulthor
