Primordial
Spirit the Earth Aflame
[Hammerheart]


"Journey's End" is an amazing album. I'll go as far as to proclaim it as one of the bleakest sounding metal recordings ever released. "Spirit the Earth Aflame" is certainly a change, as it's rather far from anything depressing. It's almost TOO confident sounding in my opinion.

'Gods to the Godless' is a brilliant track indeed, and a solid way (ignoring the bland opening title track) to open the album. Alas, it seems to go downhill from there. Alan's vocals PALE in comparison to his previous outings. The over the top impressive black metal roars on Imrama? Replaced by dry coughs. The over the top emotional effort put into the clean vocals on "Journey's End"? Replaced by awkward wailing.

There's some almost Immortal style blasting on the very metal 'Glorious Dawn', making me think that the 'easy to appreciate' feel of this album is aimed at the German media and festival crowds. Which is disappointing really, since it comes off as a very impersonal album.

Who am I to judge such a band though? It doesn't feel right cutting them down...


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