Keys of Orthanc – Of the Lineage of Kings
Band: Keys of Orthanc
Title: Of the Lineage of Kings
Label: Naturmacht Productions
Release date: 05 February 2021
Country: Canada
Format reviewed: High-quality Digital Recording
Let me go back to 2018. When I heard Keys of Orthanc for the first time… Was a good release in my opinion that time and it was the first album released by this Canadian band. Then 2019… one more album… I missed it that time… And one 2020 another album…
Well, in 2020 I heard two albums of them… Very good ones too.
So, when I got the promo from Naturmacht Productions, I immediately put it on my priority listening list. Yes, true. Nothing against other bands but there are some bands (not wanting to discriminate other bands) I want to listen as soon as possible or that I follow.
So, let me start to talk about this album and band too.
To start I have to say this… And unfortunately, this happens in the majority of the bands playing this kind of music, the Epic/Atmospheric Black Metal with some Dungeon Synth and J.R.R. Tolkien based theme. The keys and vocals. Always high compared to the rest of the instruments and with the guitars lower and playing in the background.
Luckily for me at least, Keys of Orthanc is not one of those bands and they tried to balance the most they can. Congratulations on that, I can listen to the bass. Yeahh. And good details by the way.
This album is divided in eight very good songs and the atmosphere created is very good. The tempo passages, the sound is balanced, or the band tried the best to do it, the riffs are good, the details on drum and bass are good too. The vocals are good, and the keys… Well, not abig fan of it, but in this music genre is a need and without will not make any sense.
There are some songs that are more Epic than others, that is true, typical or normal of course, but they are very well done and not the same made from other bands. Even if this style, at least in my opinion , doesn’t have many ways to get around, Keys of Orthanc managed, or at least tried to do it and sound a bit different. Well, this is my opinion.
My final words… Well, listen to, even if you are not a fan of this genre of Black Metal. 8/10 The Key Keeper 666
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8/10 To Greatness and Glory!
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