In this world there is a certain type of person who is always looking for some new thrill, some new experience, never apparently satisfied with their lot, and always flitting about like a hummingbird in search of their next hit of nectar. They’re the sort of person who is always in search of some weird gastronomic combination, or at a bar have to have an exotic cocktail, or in music need to be bombarded with the strange and experimental. If you are one of those folks, well, stop reading now, as Desolate Realm are not for you, and I’m going to say that’s a good thing.
Title track ‘Legions’ opens the album, and within the first few seconds you know what you are going to get, solid, unpretentious Metal. Riffs are solid, the rhythm beats out a familiar time to have your neck moving, and the cleanly sung lyrics of myth and magic are crafted to have an audience chanting along with fists raised in the air. ‘Final Dawn’ delivers more of the same with a workman like skill, drawn out guitar chords interspersed with faster breaks practically designed to create some momentum in a festival pit, the pace upping in ‘Forsaken Ground’ with a classic NWOBHM gallop that will have your hair forming itself into a mullet whilst your trainers expand into oversized high-tops as multi-instrumentalist/writer/producer and vocalist Matias Nastolin gives his best eighties screams.
By comparison ‘Revelation’ slows the pace and lowers the tone that will have lovers of doom shuffling happily in their denims, before being shaken awake by the headbanging barrage of ‘Betrayal’. Those who are long of hair and wide of flare needn’t worry too much though, as ‘The Lost One’ slows things down again, whilst ‘Through The Depths’ in a contrary fashion rises to the heights of the epic that was once the sole realm of Candlemass. The band then leave the most epic until last, album closer ‘Eternal Winter’ hitting the near nine minute mark, the EP worthy composition allowing the sound to slowly build up layer by layer, from an initial stark drum beat and ominous guitar intro into a textured wall of instruments and vocals; if Desolate Realm were to close a live show with this number, it would be a worthy high to finish on.
Whilst only a duo, main man Matias being accompanied on drums by Olli Torronen, were they a full touring band it would be easy to imagine Desolate Realm being able to support any number of established acts across the metal spectrum, be it classic doomsters Candlemass, metal veterans like Saxon, or even power metal acts like Sabaton, assuming of course those camo clad Swedes decided to stop taking comedy bands out on the road them, the solidly composed tracks on ‘Legions’ having qualities that would appeal to any of those audiences.
(7.5/10 Spenny)
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