Everyone’s favorite “Dwarven Metal” band is back with another album filled with epic stories, sing-alongs, a healthy dose of power metal and fun.
One of these days, I’ll go back to check out Wind Rose albums before the Stonehymn which I reviewed and 2017 and was instantly hooked. The epic nature of the music with all the bravado and bombast in the choruses, backed by solid power metal and catchy melodies hooked me from my first listen. Wind Rose started in Pisa, Italy back in 2009 and the band had two full lengths out before Stonehymn with Shadows Over Lathadruin in 2012 and Wardens of the West Wind in 2015. The brilliant move of releasing a video for their cover of the Minecraft-inspired song “Diggy Diggy Hole”, which last I checked had over 59 million plays on YouTube really opened many eyes to the band and they have built on that success and attention. The band itself has certainly worked its way up to this point, releasing eps and albums since 2010 and touring Europe with the likes of Wintersun, Epica, Ensiferum, and Eluveitie and has become a regular on the large festival scene including the legendary Wacken Open Air, where their performances include the full Viking/Middle Ages attire one would expect from the music.
Wind Rose have fully embraced their almost novelty in their sound and approach to songs and Trollslayer is no exception, which in this case is a good thing. I would love to see them live where these songs will really come to life and fit in with the rest of their catalog. In one sense, their albums often open with an instrumental track that basically sets the stage, mood, and tone for the rest of the album with the second song blending into the end of the instrumental. One can completely see this working in a live setting as the band would come on during the instrumental and then start playing as the track ends, just like in the album. In this case “Of Ice and Blood” starts things out and the band takes off with “Dance of the Axes” in perfect Wind Rose style. “Dance of the Axes” starts out with a fast driving rhythm that settles into a slightly slower, bouncy pace punctuated by vocals that could be best described as a medieval choir regaling a pub with drunken tales of glory joined by occasional counterpoint shouted gang vocals. The epic nature comes through clearly and through it all, the brilliant songwriting in creating the catchy verses and gang vocal contributions stand out, while the band itself plays a strong supporting role and does not get lost in the mix.
The next three tracks are released singles and videos from the band and serve as a great introduction to the band and also point out some of the criticism leveled at the band in that some say they have become perhaps a bit to formulaic. “The Great Feast Underground” to me is one of the weaker songs on the album for just that reason although it does have a bit of a different approach in having much of the verse sections carried by a single vocalist instead of the gang choir. The song bounces along at a good clip and the keyboards/programming approximate folk instruments fairly well. “Drinking alcohol” in the middle earth/middle ages is a common theme with Wind Rose but to me this song seems a bit too much like other tracks on previous albums around the same theme. Meanwhile, “Rock and Stone” slows things down a bit and has an almost Game of Thrones feel musically along with great shout and answer vocals with much of the verse sections carried by the gang chorus. The solo vocals have that deep, gravelly tone fitting the song so well. I can imagine a lot of concert goers losing their voices during this song and having a great time doing it. “To Be a Dwarf” completes the trio of songs released as singles and videos and breaks no new ground in terms of sound , but works nonetheless, especially the shouted gang vocals for added emphasis throughout the song. Nothing from Wind Rose is subtle and that’s a good thing.
“Home of the Twilight” has a longer opening before the verses start and within that you can hear the quality of the rhythm section that provides a solid foundation for the massive vocals in all their songs. While the keyboards/programming adding in sounds reminiscent of traditional instruments often is more prominent in the mix, this song has some extended sections where the mixing is more equal. To this point, much of the musical contribution to Wind Rose songs does involve pulling in the sounds from traditional instruments, which does explain why they fit in well on stage with folk metal bands, even if their overall approach is different. The title track “Trollslayer” continues in the same vein and has a more extended section of just the traditional sounds along with some solo vocals and gang vocals without the rest of the band showcasing the strength of both.
The album closes out with the epic “No More Sorrow” that clocks in at over seven and half minutes. Here the band becomes a bit more adventurous in vocal approach, with the early verses largely carried by a single singer with the gang chorus coming in later. I like the way the chorus becomes slower and more emotional, similar to the solo verse vocals. This change in how the songs are arranged to me is the one departure from the norm for the band and it works.
Wind Rose are one of those bands where you could interchange songs across many albums and they would all fit. Did they perhaps play it safe with this release? One could say yes, but it is still a collection of great songs that will translate well live. The music has that larger-than-life feel to it and the vocals once again, both solo and gang chorus, fit perfectly and are so strong and melodies, catchy. This is another release filled with songs, that sound like they are straight out of a medieval tavern, where everyone knows the words and is fighting to sing along. Previous releases may have had a bit more variety in songwriting approach, but Trollslayer is a worthy addition to their catalog.
Rating: 8.5/10
Written by John Jackson
Tracklist
- Of Ice and Blood
- Dance of the Axes
- The Great Feast Underground
- Rock and Stone
- To Be a Dwarf
- Home of the Twilight
- Trollslayer
- Legacy of the Forge
- No More Sorrow
Band Members
Francesco Cavalieri – Vocals
Claudio Falconcini – Guitars
Federico Meranda – Keyboards
Federico Gatti – Drums
Cristiano Bertocchi – Bass
Release Date: 4 Oct. 2024
Record Label: Napalm Records
Albums:
2012: Shadows Over Lothadruin
2015: Wardens of the West Wind
2017: Stonehymn (review)
2019: Wintersaga (review)
2022: Warfront (review)
2024: Trollslayer
Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp
Video for “Rock and Stone”
Video for “The Great Feast Underground”
Video for “To Be a Dwarf”: