Band: Shadowrise
Album: Shadowrise
Release Date: 23rd March 2018
This self-titled album kicks off with instrumental Spectres. It is atmospheric and mysterious. Lost In Time is a smooth transition from Spectres, and then kicks in with catchy riffs and a headbanging beat. The female vocals for me don’t quite have the power to complement the hard and fast instrumentals. There are also harsh male vocals and blast beats further into the track. Cryptkeeper follows with a similar theme.
To Live And Die For has a calmer start with piano, but the harsh male vocals come in. The track overall has a slower tempo, and the female vocals also return. Evil Conductor has a more symphonic feel, there is a calmer start but the pace does quicken and there are heavy, driving guitars. There is a calmer section before a build up again.
Power of the Moonlight really caught my ear. The introduction wouldn’t be out of place in a high fantasy RPG. There is a slower tempo in this track, but it is still heavy. The female vocals do suit this track in my opinion. Echoes also has this RPG soundtrack feel to it, and it is the ballad of the album.
Probably my favourite track of the album, and the final track, is Cursed. It starts with piano and strings, and transitions into a slow, epic instrumental with drum rolls, and then a gutteral roar. There is a calming, spoken word section partway through this track, and male and female clean vocals harmonise towards the end.
Shadowrise I feel have a lot of potential. The mix between the RPG soundtrack style and the heavy instrumental works really well. I just don’t feel like the female vocals are quite strong enough for the instrumental at times.
Verdict: 7.5/10
Ostara Metal 