Single Review: Dreamslain – I Am Spartacus for #METALMOMENTUM

Band: Dreamslain
Single Title: I Am Spartacus
Release Date: September 10, 2025
Label: Self-Released / Under The Bridge Music
Format: Digital Recording
Country: Norway

Single Review: Dreamslain – I Am Spartacus for #METALMOMENTUM by Elyna

From Rome to Modern Metal: Dreamslain’s Epic “
I Am Spartacus”.

“Dreamslain returns from Northern Norway with ‘I Am Spartacus’, a powerful progressive epic metal single blending melodic black metal, melo-death, and progressive elements. Explore a story of rebellion, resistance, and timeless epicness, where history meets modern sound.”  

From the north of Norway, the epic progressive metal trio Dreamslain – featuring Anna Loppacher on keyboards, Daniel Paulsen Figenschou on drums, and Igor Jakobsen on guitar and vocals – returns with a powerful proclamation that stands against injustice: “I Am Spartacus”, to be released on September 10th.

After successful shows in Norway, Sweden, England, Switzerland, and Portugal with their EP and their first two albums, the band returns to merge past and present, at the point where the rebellion of the slaves of ancient Rome echoes the armed conflicts, injustice, and oppressive systems of our times, in an eternal loop that keeps repeating itself.

“I Am Spartacus” emerged in the intimacy of the rehearsal rooms as the anthem that continues the saga of struggle and resistance that began with “Forge of Rebellion” in 2024. It reminds us that the battle and resistance against evil and abuse are more alive than ever, and that its fire doesn’t fade, but is passed on from generation to generation. Thus, the rebels of the world – the true guardians of humanity – will continue to exist until the yearnings of freedom, justice, and peace become real.

Sound-wise, “I Am Spartacus” is a profoundly epic single. Not only for its powerful lyrics, but also for the sensation that remains when listening to it during its almost nine minutes of duration; an apotheosis that escapes from the classically ‘epic’, where usually divergent forces converge.
For me, ‘epic’ sounds par excellence like Rhapsody, Luca Turilli, Manowar, Turisas, or Amon Amarth. However, Dreamslain fuses elements of progressive metal, melodic atmospheric black metal, and melodic death metal. This combination adds power and a sound reminiscent of nineties black metal demos, with clarity and modern quality, thanks to the mixing work of Steve Walker (The Steve Walker Project). Thus, the song delivers a different epic from the classic battle anthems where the protagonists were heroes, kings, and knights; now it is the slaves who inspire this epic, one of resistance and rebellion.

The influence of Moonspell, Immortal, Turisas, and Storm stands out in their melodic and rhythmic base, achieving a musical balance that transmits the essence of epic with a sense of urgency and denunciation. They go beyond dragons or knights; with ‘I Am Spartacus’, Dreamslain delivers a cross-cutting anthem both lyrically and melodically, a battle cry that transcends genres and generations.

Musically, the track features a medium-tempo, 4/4 time signature, with progressive touches on drums and guitars. The haunting orchestrations create dark and dense atmospheres that evoke a journey through the untamed forests of Los Carpatos.

On the other hand, the harmonic choral work is powerful, summoning and coherent with the lyrical narrative. One aspect to improve on this point is the vocal intonation of the lead voices, as at certain moments they seem to float in tonal limbo. Although not out of tune, this slight dissonance detracts somewhat from the general impact. Even so, this detail does not tarnish the strength and coherence of the track, which remains an epic anthem from start to finish.

In short, “I Am Spartacus” confirms Dreamslain as a band capable of transcending barriers, genres, and musical traditions in metal, creating an anthem of rebellion and resistance that combines divergent forces, disturbing atmospheres, and rhythmic and melodic intensity. Dreamslain gives us a single that not only honours the epic tradition of metal, but reinvents it by fusing past and present, denunciation and music, reminding us that the struggle for justice and freedom always finds in metal its voice par excellence. 8/10

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8/10 To Greatness and Glory!
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