Royal Carnage review of Wolf´s Return
Erik
This is the first time I hear this band, and they completely didn´t meet my expectations. Either they´ve gone through some rather significant changes for this album, or people in general don´t know how to define music properly, because I have seen GRAND MAGUS referred to as "doom-rock" or "stoner doom" on numerous occasions. Even the official promo sheets calls the band a "doom-rock" one, and says the album will appeal to fans of CLUTCH, HIGH ON FIRE and the like.
...HUH!? As far as I´m concerned, these people must be high on something themselves, ´cause this sure as hell doesn´t sound either stoned or rocky. This, friends, is EPIC DOOM METAL, the kind that is firmly rooted in heavy fucking metal, and has closer ties to CANDLEMASS and SOLITUDE AETURNUS than CLUTCH and co. Of course, Wolf´s Return has its fair share of SABBATH-y sludged-out heaviness, but generally ends up sounding like MANOWAR circa 1984 ("Wolf´s Return" has that typical "Blood of My Enemies" style groove riff) playing CANDLEMASS.
The album has so much raw power and so many awesome riffs, you know, like heavy metal used to have? THIS IS HEAVY METAL IN ITS PUREST FORM. It is not for mellowing out with a joint, it is for banging your head as if up from the dead. "Kingslayer", "Wolf´s Return" and "Repay in Kind" are stand-out tracks here, with "Kingslayer" even having some slight references to extreme metal with tasteful tremolo riffing and some harsh backing vocals. All three of them will satisfy anyone with a craving for trad metal-infused epic doom goodness.
Very competent vocalist, memorable riffing and nice choruses, Nordic-styled lyrics about blood, wolves and such, awesome production that sounds warm and heavy as opposed to crystal clear and processed... Yes, this album is a complete winner. The new CANDLEMASS album is similar, but put side by side, I´m pretty sure GRAND MAGUS wins, and that´s no small feat. Buy, but don´t expect to be able to smoke pot and drive out to the desert while listening to this; rather, may I suggest beer, denim vests, and maybe a nice little viking raid to some English monastery?
http://www.royalcarnage.com/?p=showreview&rid=315
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