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░ ██ ██ Artist: Ymir's Blood ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Blood of the Ice Giant █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2014 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2015-10-17 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Heavy Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Archaic Sound ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ The forthrightness of the primitive low-key blues, █
█ Rock and Heavy Metal û though near extinguished - █
█ has been ever captivating new generations of root █
█ devotees religiously sticking to the magic formula █
█ of ôless is moreö, such as the Finnish ôYMIRÆS █
█ BLOODö trio whose name subtly hints to the members █
█ ôcoming from the land of the ice and snowö █
█ (referring to their ôImmigrant Songö compelling █
█ live arrangement, further pointing where they come █
█ from musically speaking in this context!) █
█ Recorded in 2013, ôBlood Of The Ice Giantö is the █
█ debut full-length studio by YMIRÆS BLOOD, fiercely █
█ embracing the Nordic tradition concept through the █
█ belligerent-alluring lyrical song structure █
█ chiefly based on the vocal track in a thorough █
█ touch with the bandÆs self-identification as █
█ performing the vague ôViking metalö notion. █
█ Interestingly enough, the approach at hand is to █
█ discard the complexities and the Folk-padding the █
█ latter is renowned for, in favor of revisiting the █
█ first and foremost definition of the Metal sine █
█ qua non trinity of bass, guitar and drums. █
█ Ergo, implicating more power to the rhythm section █
█ as a such a firm pace-setter that the guitar █
█ literally submerged within a set of chord verses █
█ over and over as in ôHigh And Mightyö in a bid to █
█ shape that epic touch - yet this is no Punk Rock █
█ tedious 4/4 for the things being. Emerges the █
█ answer in ôThe Chosen Slain/ We, The Bersrkrö █
█ adroitly rectifying with a real well-built sliding █
█ riff sliding, accentuated by assertive snares and █
█ crashes setting for a Doom tempo merged with a █
█ so-yearned-for 90s Rock spirit. The same mood is █
█ carried on in ôTo Immortal Mater Obscureö with █
█ somber chords and even more complex root notes and █
█ transition triplets unfolding into hints of groovy █
█ old school Rock alternated with the █
█ bloodthirstiness of tremolo and the more Metal █
█ palm mutes. █
█ Backward to ôHigh And Mightyö, the murderous █
█ blasting bass and drums stacked up against somehow █
█ feeble vocals despite what potential one can spot █
█ in a flash. Indeed, placing the bet on the drums █
█ and bass counterbalanced the chance the vocalist █
█ missed to extract the best of the dramatic scale █
█ of the track. And by mentioning ôpotentialö, I █
█ mean for instance ôSworn To The Seaö on which the █
█ vocals switch to a borderline half-harsh curiously █
█ yet cunningly out of tune at some points to █
█ simulate a speech, then gradually condensing in a █
█ shift to what would have been a black metal █
█ tremolo if only interlaced with echoes or better, █
█ growls û as the singer sounded undecided on the █
█ technique on the vocal-based ôWitch Beastö █
█ translated in copying the root notes without █
█ further development while actually having room to, █
█ as all instruments ûguitar included - were doing █
█ awesome holding the rhythm for him, before nailing █
█ that suave lengthy solo, a definitely worthy album █
█ epilogue. █
█ Along the ôBlood Of The Ice Giantö tracks, the █
█ chief feature is certes an instrumental bundle █
█ consisting of equally represented elements █
█ swinging from mere 4-chord progressions to genuine █
█ riffs appointed by a 70s Rock vocal fashion thatÆs █
█ been a signature in the later years of the emerge █
█ of Heavy Metal as sounding highly ôadrenalinedö. A █
█ brilliant concept that has not been fully █
█ exploited yet, but expect the roar of the Viking █
█ Finns at any moment! █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. High and Mighty 5:49 ░
░ 2. Sworn to the Sea 3:20 ░
░ 3. The Chosen Slain / We, the Bersrkr 7:19 ░
░ 4. Ritual for the Invocation of Thunder 4:20 ░
░ 5. To Immortal Master Obscure 4:34 ░
░ 6. Witch Beast 9:02 ░
░ 34:24 ░
░ ▒ ▒
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