On the weekly list of reviews that comes out I put my hand in to cover this album by Danish act Heidra because I read the band had some Amorphis traits in their music. They weren’t wrong it has to be said, as this third album is an amalgamation of Viking metal, folk metal, power metal tinged with hefty progressive structures that I found very appealing as the album marks the conclusion of the ‘The Dawn Trilogy’ the band has penned.

After a short, scene setting intro, ‘The Beginning And The End’, the album launches with the epic ‘Retribution Dawn’. At eight minutes plus it is brave to open your alum with a track like this instead of a shorter more accessible number, but it works in instilling what Heidra are all about. It is hard to believe that this four-piece outfit constructs such expansive and immersive songs as they do such is the accomplishment and multifaceted layering the band favours. Said epic track is saturated in melody but married to a heaviness that fans of newer era Amon Amarth will absolutely appreciate. With acoustic phrasing added too you get a song that is kaleidoscopic in nature flowing through a raft of riffs and stylings as ‘Dusk’ follows smoothly.

‘Dusk’ is one of those tunes that will be instantly favourable live, its double kick density hooks into its atmospherics, as the harsh caustic vocal nestles alongside the cleaner style extremely well, something that the album has by the truckload on virtually every song here. Heavier and with a slight choral vocal ‘The Rebirth’ possesses a smooth dramatic dignity, crafted by its Viking metal credentials as those harsh vocals amplify the aggression.

I especially adored ‘Wolfborn Rising’ it’s clean vocal assertion really catches the ear as that Amorphis influence floods through brilliantly accompanied by fine lead work. I could write about every song on this album as each has something different to offer but I will give mention to the title track, another epic of sorts that uses a build-up sequence to great effect, enhancing the momentum as the clean vocal inserts majestic soaring power. The melodicism doesn’t go unnoticed either despite the innate melancholy the tune possesses.

The closing doublet of ‘Cloaks And Daggers’ and ‘Two Kings’ stand out, primarily because they seem to link so cohesively as the former wields a morose Amorphis like aura with blended keyboard work in its last couple of minutes before the latter slows things down a tad. However, the predicted increase in speed appears creating a closer that has an anthemic drive and persona that is sure to catch attention.

A fine third album by Heidra, one saturated in melody and atmosphere as fans of any of the bands I’ve mentioned will certainly like, and those with a penchant for the lighter end of the melodic death metal scene too.

(9/10 Martin Harris)

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https://targetgroup.bandcamp.com/album/to-hell-or-kingdom-come