By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 09/02/2018
Label: Metal Blade Records
Eight tracks, all absolute killers.
Superb production, fantastic playing and performances all around. With “The
Revenant King”, Visigoth delivered my favourite album of 2015. With “Conqueror's
Oath” they have achieved heavy metal perfection. . The best heavy metal album of
2018? Count on it.
“Conqueror's
Oath” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Steel and Silver
2. Warrior Queen
3. Outlive Them All
4. Hammerforged
5. Traitor’s Gate
6. Salt City
7. Blades in the Night
8. The Conqueror’s Oath
The Review:
Salt Lake City's most metal export
return here with a blazing follow up to their mighty opus “The Revenant King” of 2015. As I noted in that review: this is
heavy metal. Proper heavy metal. Think of the sounds of Priest having a sword fight with
Maiden
while Grand
Magus referees. In fact, words cannot express the utter
heavy-metalness of it all. The band has delivered everything I hoped for with
this sophomore full length. The galloping and majestic rhythms, the soaring
lead breaks, the powerful and dramatic vocals- all are contained within the
opening “Steel and Silver” and the
album does not let up from there. It pleases me that there are still bands out
there like this; bands that keep to the old gods. Bands that rejoice in the defeat
of their enemies and laugh at the four winds from their mountain.
It
is not often that there is nothing to fault, but I can't find anything here
that is not just right. The mix and production is confident and muscular with
every instrument clearly audible. Jake Rogers' vocals are even more self
assured than on the debut and he delivers a master class here- a powerful
singer in a fairly low register, his voice is perfect for this. The songs clip
by at such a rate that the album is a focused and vicious raiding party even
after repeated listens. “Warrior Queen”
is catchy and joyful, propelled along by a very tight rhythm section and
duelling guitars. It is five and a half minutes of heavy metal heaven- or
should that be Valhalla?!
The
band press the pedal to the metal with more regularity on this album; there
were elements of doom to be found on “TRK”,
but that has been superseded by the likes of the Highlander-themed “Outlive Them All” which is fast and
furious, whilst being full of hooks. Naturally, the band are not flat out all
of the time and there is plenty of room for acoustic elements, vocal harmonies
and swinging grooves through “Hammerforged”.
It also has a fantastic central refrain of the mightiest riffage.
“Traitor's Gate” acts as a centrepiece for
the record as Rogers
invokes the spirit of Ronnie Dio in the melodrama and gravitas of his
performance. It builds up slowly, but when it rolls in, triplets blazing, once
again metal nirvana is reached. The whole band are playing out of their skins
on this one; it's superb with all essential metallic elements present and
correct.
The
band's tribute to their home town follows- “Salt City” is pure heavy metal rock and roll,
expertly delivered and anthemic in the extreme. It provides a burst of carefree
enthusiasm with not a revenge plot in sight. There is also great lead playing,
as there is throughout the album. “Blades
in the Night” follows, with feet pressed to the floor and swords fully
unsheathed. Again, it's hooky and powerful in equal measure.
The
title track closes this remarkable album in majestic style. It is another slow
burning epic with excellent two guitar work and themes that will make your
battle jacket be filled with pride. Eight tracks, all absolute killers. Superb
production, fantastic playing and performances all around. With “The Revenant King”, Visigoth delivered my favourite
album of 2015. With “Conqueror's Oath”
they have achieved heavy metal perfection. I have all but run out of
superlatives to describe this fantastic record. Iron Maiden are on their way to
retirement, Priest
are readying themselves for perhaps just
one more foray, Manowar
are bowing out and the world is just not as receptive to songs about valour and
glory any more. Visigoth,
though, keep the flame alive and burning brightly, ready to forge sounds of the
purest steel- hopefully for years to come. The best heavy metal album of 2018?
Count on it.
“Conqueror’s Oath” is available here
