First of all take a moment to look at that cover by Misanthropic Art. You back? Doesn’t that just scream heavy metal in a wonderful roots way? Damn, one of those visceral covers that makes you hope that the music lives up to it.

This album review copy came pretty much out of the blue, but very much directed at me (which is kind of humbling). This is the band’s first recording and the songwriting and guitars/bass falls to Dan Walmsley and with Nick Wallwork, Winterfylleth and Ard bassist, getting to flex his vocals up front and drums from Rob Harris (Foetal Juice and Necronautical). So we’re talking dyed in the wool musicians here. Quality.

As an opener ‘SCUM’ (their capitals) is some statement of intent. Drums batter and the riff, with an intake of breath, just roars out. There’s a gallop, as clatter, a surge to it. Thick riffing with a healthy black metal feel woven into a somehow more traditional heavy metal feel without losing the momentum in the midsection breakdown and solo. Add in a hard biting melody and a great utter black/death demolition to close this is a huge, confident opener. Oh and lyrically? This is a straight, unafraid howl into the face of ‘populist’ politicians and the conspiracy sycophants who prop them up and tear down the truth. No compromise, side picked. No apologists here.

Well damn that’s cool as.

‘The Shadow Mountains’ has another fine melody on the lead in; a deft blend that weaves a little Bathory and Dissection into the mix whilst building on the identity of the opener. The slow melancholy section snarl is beautiful, frankly. It reaches inside and forces me to experience the emotion even as it builds once more into a rousing black metal cry that feels so much part of the unique UKBM sound. ‘To Render The Soul’ has a very deliberate considered pace. Blood in, blood out….  Think Sons Of Northern Darkness with that Bathory metal sound and just beautiful heavy metal guitars teasing such a rich melody from within it. The vocals are totally on point; harsh but varied and drawing warning and anger.

The title track seems to be a little more fantasy orientated but with, my take, an allegory to some aspects of modern times and the changes that happen in our lifetime to not just places but to the way the world drifts. This is a beautiful, epic song. A little Viking metal touch to the riff style here and there but when the clean vocals hit and the guitar rises this is just metal at its finest of an style. The lilt to the melody seems so gentle and yet I’m damned if I can shake it. And the almost Darkthrone section howling like a feral beast and yet perfectly sliding into a smooth end is mesmeric.

‘A Deluge Of Pious Primitives’ brings a whole load of thunder. Utter battery on the drums, choppy riffing and bitter vocals. It’s the darkest song so far; the feel is thick with contempt and even the melody line simply brings up the bass to keep the sound crushing. This is, when you listen and pull the sound apart, music of surprising depth and complexity. The arrangements here have a perfect touch; smooth melody can ease out of the harshest of riffs and the most brutal of vocals with a natural flow. Nothing jars here unless it means to. The sound, the production, is excellent making it feel very much live and raw of edge but you can hear all the elements perfectly.

‘Of Ulm’ has the most heart aching opening of mid paced heavy metal melody, twisting into a turbulent, engulfing riff heavy with the drums and insistent with its drive. It is probably the most immediate showcase of how Magentar’s songwriting can blend the disparate influences together and move between tempos and passages with no ugly seams.

And then we reach the closer. The epic ten minutes of ‘Adorned In Flame’. A soft folk influenced opening just drives into a screaming NWOBHM style riff. I mean, hell, Diamond Head at their fastest, guitar notes flicked freely and yet the spine with the bass and drums and excellent harsh vocals is still firmly in the darker more extreme camp. It’s a wildfire burning fast, while something dances within with a sense of sheer exhilarating power to it. It slowly subsides into a more introverted even sombre sound rich in thoughtful melody of the kind that seems to reach out for something just out of reach. Oh I don’t know. Probably just what it offers to me, but that’s because it reaches me and I can do nothing but respond.

Have to say the last time I think I heard such a fantastic blend of traditional metal guitars with the roots of black metal drawn on was the epic, seeming one shot of supergroup Twilight Of The Gods. I mean seriously. It’s that kind of heart beating in this album; passion, pride and music that makes your fist clench and want to punch the sky but also genuinely makes you ponder on things it stirs from you and your own world.

With their debut Magnetar have embraced the roots of both traditional and extreme metal in a manner that pays equal tribute to all and simply rises from those long ago twisted and roots. It’s in their blood and it feeds their fire and makes even me want to strap on my studs and bullet belt for one last anthem.

Sometime my flames will fade to an ember, then a memory, but this just reminds me that long after people will keep the fire still burning in the valleys and on the mountains. Some things burn forever.

(9/10 Gizmo)

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