Album Type: Full Length
Date Released:
13/05/2016
Label: Nuclear Blast
This
is certainly their best and heaviest record since “Iron Will”- going one better
than “Triumph and Power” (all the way to 11!) and several leagues ahead of “The
Hunt” and even the very good “Hammer of The North”. They are one of the best
metal bands in the world today, no question. In fact, if you look at their
discography, they may be one of the best of all time. An idle boast? How many
bands can you name who have four or more classic albums to their name? Grand Magus'
tally now stands at five. An impressive spectacle of might.
“Sword Songs” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1.
Freja's Choice (3:59)
2.
Varangian (3:41)
3.
Forged in Iron - Crowned in Steel (5:38)
4.
Born For Battle
5.
Master Of The Land (3:51)
6.
Last One To Fall (4:00)
7.
Frost And Fire (3:16)
8.
Hugr (Instrumental) (2:07)
9.
Every Day There's A Battle
The Review:
One
of the greatest bands in heavy metal return with this, their eighth (!) album.
Starting out as a more bluesy/stoner rock outfit, Magus went through trad doom on “Monument” and transitioned to being something altogether more... traditionally
metallic from “Wolfs Return”
onwards. Indeed, after the shaky (in my view) “The Hunt”, the band hit a real return to form with “Triumph and Power” back in 2014.
Essentially, “Sword Songs” is a
continuation of “Triumph and Power”,
but with some new elements. After all, the band has often experimented with
their sound so it should come as no surprise to hear the nods to Slayer
in the record, or the more extreme elements in the riffing generally.
Once
again, the Kings of Metal influence proceedings here. You may think that Manowar
are ludicrous, they may be easily lampooned... However, they are also one of
the greatest metal bands of all time and embody the genre in all its glory AND
ridiculousness. Grand
Magus channel those heavy metal gods to perfection here (even more
so than on “Triumph and Power”).
The
opening “Freja's Choice” sounds like Magus imbued with the spirit of
thrash via the Valkyries referenced in the song. “Varangian” (look it
up; an interesting historical feature of the Vikings was how far they actually
travelled) has the Manowar influence writ large- big chorus, big
riffs. Straight away, the memory of the hard rock of “The Hunt” is banished in favour of metal anthems with muscles of
steel.
“Forged
In Iron- Crowned In Steel” is even more over the top. This is Grand Magus 2016; take Priest,
Manowar,
Dio-era
Sabbath
and mix them together and this is what you get. Glorious and anthemic, this
material is some of the band's best! Cracking solo, great vocal in the middle
eight, too. The production is stellar- live sounding with a killer drum sound
that is both live sounding and polished. Ludwig Witt turns in a tour de force
performance as per, Fox supplies his usual gnarly bass lines and tones while JB
excels in riffs, solos and vocals (the true heir to Dio in our world, as it goes).
The trio are firing on all cylinders this time around.
“Born
For Battle
The
nine track playing time plays to the band's strengths; each track is focused,
lean and mean. There is no filler here, the album can easily be digested in one
sitting and there are lots of riffs, changes and nice production touches to
savour. With the faster material, such as “Last One To Fall”, the Priest
trick of chords for the verses while the more intricate riffage is to be found
without vocals. Superb breakdown section as well.
Frost
and Fire
is a rollicking ride through a great vocal hook and expertly crafted verses and
a great chorus. This is truly heavy metal of the finest quality and of such a
vintage that had it been released in 1984 would have conquered the world, no
question. You might have thought that heavy metal bands no longer made records
like this, but if Iron Maiden don't, then Grand Magus do.
The
obligatory instrumental “Hugr” follows and sets the
tone for the rather maudlin “Every Day There's A Battle
“Sword Songs” is available here
