Argh, Italian mighty scene strikes again! Elvenking are back with their new full length opus first in four years and it is their eleventh full length opus until now. This band has been in the scene for more than 25 years now delivering their vision of melodic true metal mixed with lots of folk metal influences in the song structures, multi vocal lines, violins and mystical atmosphere holding the listener chained listening to their magical music! The album opener ‘Rapture’ starts with acoustic intro delivering us to galloping metal and mixture of harsh and melodic vocal lines, courtesy of singers Aydan and Damna. Folk metal influences are also here with acoustic like medieval parts in the middle of the song. Elvenking always had sense how to create drama and keep the listeners attention with their music. At times Elvenking reminded me of early Rhapsody, but more metal and more harsh and not neoclassical like forementioned band. ‘The Hanging Tree’ almost is a mixture of thrash metal and some prog elements with folk metal melodies in there. Other songs that I must also mention as being standouts for me on this opus are ‘To The North’, ‘Herdchant’ and ‘Red Mist’. Good album by great band.

7,5/10 axes