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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Grimgotts - Lions Of The Sea + │
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│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2020-04-02 Encoder......LAME 3.100 ║ │
│║ Genre.....Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......2017 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........10 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url.. ║ │
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│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Grimgotts ║ │
│║ Album : Lions Of The Sea ║ │
│║ Label : Stormspell ║ │
│║ Cat.No : SSR-DL-225 ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Rhapsody (of Fire) and Pagan Altar have both been called ║ │
│║ ôwizard metalö by some because of the lyrical themes and ║ │
│║ vocalists. Grimgotts actually IS wizard metal though since ║ │
│║ their brand of metal is at least partly based on Harry ║ │
│║ Potter. Musically, Grimgotts are a symphonic power metal ║ │
│║ band and appropriately, they are based out of London. Wrock ║ │
│║ or Wizard Rock has been around for a long time but this ║ │
│║ marks the first attempt at bringing the tales to life in ║ │
│║ metal form. Earlier this year, Grimgotts released a great ║ │
│║ EP called Part Man, Part Beast, Part Dragon, their third EP ║ │
│║ overall. Now they have come roaring back with their first ║ │
│║ full-length album, Lions of the Sea, released both ║ │
│║ independently and through Stormspell Records. So what do ║ │
│║ Grimgotts have to offer this time around? ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ This album seems to mark a change in GrimgottsÆ approach to ║ │
│║ symphonic power metal. The previous EPs were based very ║ │
│║ much in fantasy with Harry Potter references slipped in for ║ │
│║ good measure. As the album title suggests though, Lions of ║ │
│║ the Sea takes the fantasy from the realm of magic to an ║ │
│║ adventure on the high seas. This album is named for a ║ │
│║ Running Wild song so it seems natural that the music would ║ │
│║ take plenty of cues from that sound. It is an odd change to ║ │
│║ make on a debut album but Grimgotts do their best to make ║ │
│║ it work for them. Their music has always felt like it is ║ │
│║ meant for a grand adventure and this is no different with ║ │
│║ keyboards that sound like they were composed by a band of ║ │
│║ misfit pirates. Much of the time, it actually sounds like a ║ │
│║ lonely pirate slowly playing his old-fashioned accordion, ║ │
│║ trying to get someoneÆs attention or because he has nothing ║ │
│║ better to do. Out of nowhere, the keyboards manage to sound ║ │
│║ rather like a pipe organ in some sections of ôJonah,ö ║ │
│║ adding some variety and making the song more interesting. ║ │
│║ ôCalm Before the Stormö features some classic cheesy ║ │
│║ keyboard lines that sound like someone broke out the keytar ║ │
│║ and went nuts on it. It is incredibly cheesy but oh so much ║ │
│║ fun. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The riffs on this album are pretty solid and definitely the ║ │
│║ ╛ paced driving riffs you would expect to accompany a grand ║ │
│║ metal adventure on the high seas. They throw in a bunch of ║ │
│║ slightly slower, slightly heavier riffs for power and it ║ │
│║ usually works pretty well as on ôGolden Shores.ö However, ║ │
│║ as good as those songs are, the standout track on this ║ │
│║ album is clearly ôFind Your Way.ö The sheer catchiness and ║ │
│║ driving riffs of ôShanghaiö come close but ôFind Your Wayö ║ │
│║ turns the bombast up to 11 for a scorcher of a tune that ║ │
│║ rips from start to finish. This track strips away some of ║ │
│║ the ôyo ho hoö mentality and becomes an excellent Euro ║ │
│║ power track with great riffs, fun melodies a ton of awesome ║ │
│║ cheesy keys. You can tell it was written by Fabio because ║ │
│║ the keys are more prevalent but it is interesting that ║ │
│║ ôFind Your Wayö also contains some of DavidÆs best guitar ║ │
│║ work on the entire album. His riffs and melodies in the ║ │
│║ other tunes are really good too but they lack the ôin your ║ │
│║ faceö quotient that is a hallmark of many of the genreÆs ║ │
│║ best guitarists and bands. The various acoustic melodies he ║ │
│║ throws in are pretty neat, especially towards the end of ║ │
│║ ôThe Gallows.ö They are unique and add another element of ║ │
│║ intrigue. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Lord Fleshtomb Weeping WeasleyÆs drumming has some nice ║ │
│║ variety to it. His mid-paced beats often accent the ║ │
│║ seafaring adventure theme and they are often a lot of fun. ║ │
│║ He has a great feel for the march beat and he uses it quite ║ │
│║ often on this album and to great effect as it sounds like ║ │
│║ something is about to happen. The let-down comes when ║ │
│║ nothing significant happens though. He hardly uses any ║ │
│║ cymbals and that may detract from the overall sound but his ║ │
│║ fills are solid and he fits the bandÆs sound quite well. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Andy BartonÆs vocals are quite good as always. He seems to ║ │
│║ make greater use of the lower part of his register on this ║ │
│║ album compared to the first three EPs. Andy makes it work ║ │
│║ to his advantage though as the lower notes give his voice a ║ │
│║ bit more power. He still uses the higher part of his ║ │
│║ register on tracks like ôGolden Shoresö and he even throws ║ │
│║ in some harsh vocals for good measure. Given the grand ║ │
│║ scale of GrimgottsÆ music, Andy might have been better ║ │
│║ suited to stick with more of the mid-range and high, using ║ │
│║ the lows for variety. Like the last EP, Nick Thurtell lends ║ │
│║ his voice to a number of tracks on this album. Normally, ║ │
│║ someone providing additional lead vocals would not warrant ║ │
│║ special mention but Grimgotts is not a normal band. Nick ║ │
│║ has a fantastic voice that fits GrimgottsÆ sound really ║ │
│║ well and the high part of his voice is incredibly well ║ │
│║ suited to power metal, as displayed on the title track. ║ │
│║ Andy is great by himself but he and Nick harmonize well and ║ │
│║ it gives those songs a little extra boost. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ All in all, Lions of the Sea is a very enjoyable album with ║ │
│║ plenty of catchy melodies to be seared in your memory and ║ │
│║ catchy choruses for singing along. In some ways, it is ║ │
│║ better than the last EP and in other ways, it falls a bit ║ │
│║ short of that mark. So really, Lions of the Sea is on the ║ │
│║ same level as Part Man, Part Beast, Part Dragon and both ║ │
│║ are definitely worth a few good listens. Perhaps a bit more ║ │
│║ wizardry will help vault Grimgotts to the next level on ║ │
│║ their next offering. We can only hope this is the case ║ │
│║ since they clearly have the talent to make it happen. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ - originally written for The Metal Observer ║ │
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│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
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│ 1. Lions Of The Sea 5:08 │
│ 2. Golden Shores 5:11 │
│ 3. Shanghai 4:08 │
│ 4. Morning Blues 4:11 │
│ 5. Find Your Way 4:39 │
│ 6. The Gallows 2:48 │
│ 7. Jonah 2:54 │
│ 8. Calm Before The Storm 5:06 │
│ 9. The Sad King 3:13 │
│ 10. The Bright Lights 4:15 │
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│ Total Length : 00:41:33 │
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│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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