Blazon Rite (USA)

[Horex]

Blazon Rite - Endless Halls Of Golden Totem (2021)













Year : 2021
Style : Heavy Metal
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 105 mb

Bio:

Heavy Metal Glory from the dungeons of Philadelphia.A year after the release of their brilliant “Dulce Bellum Inexpertis” EP, Philadelphia’s BLAZON RITE -that were founded back in 2019- return with their first full-length, “Endless Halls of Golden Totem”.The most of you should be already familiar with BLAZON RITE’s sound, as their debut 2020 EP was a briefly mentioned release into the underground Metal world. The four tracks of the EP were a great combination of Proto, Heavy and Obscure Epic Metal in the vein of early MANILLA ROAD. Well that was the starting point, lets see if they have still follow this epic, mystical path.Dungeons and Dragons-influenced metal that deals a deadly dose of NWOBHM and power metal complete with a resounding four-song concept.Upon the 2019 formation of Blazon Rite, guitarist and primary songwriter James Kirn had quite the simple, but universal edict: He wanted “heads to bang.” While such an approach has defined metal for the past 40 years, Kirn wanted to put his twist on the genre by combining his love of obscure ’70s hard rock and power metal while exploring the vast fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. In the span of a few months, Blazon Rite had assembled and recorded the four songs that would comprise their debut four-song EP, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis, which is being released worldwide via Gates of Hell Records.

Album:

American Traditional Heavy Metallers BLAZON RITE are unleashing their debut album on May 28th via Gates Of Hell Records. Without further ado, let us venture into the promised lands of Metal majesty.Melancholy guitars sway into life alongside pure 80s style synths, backed up by booming drum beats to hit with a might hammer strike as tension builds gorgeously. Powerful vocals join the instrumental battery to introduce the full band as a brooding yet energetic beast with some magnificent interweaving between the guitars and vocals as leads and rhythms trade off in true NWOBHM style. Galloping forth, the marvellously potent battle-ready soundscapes speed into a frenzy of intense drum work and Speed Metal riffs that are utterly fantastic with the melodious vocal work and soaring solos that suitably draw on the old school energies that the band clearly idolise. Doomy moments bring back that brooding tension while never dissipating the ferocity, with a cloven style ebbing and flowing this feels mature and like the culmination of a long and hard effort in bringing everything together. Certain moments feel more like Manilla Road and Cirith Ungol, then we get the anthemic Angel Witch sections and some Saint Vitus and Pentagram-like Doom Metal before being dropped into a speeding inferno of blistering tempos. One thing is for certain, this is some killer Heavy Metal that does not lack vision nor variety.The hammer strikes the anvil with precision each and every time as the songs develop into a monolith of pure Heavy Metal steel without the feeling of being derivative or boring. Each track has so many amazing elements that weave together beautifully into a tapestry of mighty and memorable music that is richly diverse yet in an unpretentious manner that hits hard and from the heart. The Iron Maiden-esque gallops should always be welcome to any headbanger, especially when delicately placed amidst such damned catchy choruses to majestically carry us across the mystical soundscapes and into the alchemical harnessing of classic Heavy Metal in this refreshing and exciting vessel. With thrashy touches akin to Nasty Savage we really do get a large pallet of classic bands coming through in the sound of Blazon Rite, however I must stress that this is not just simple worship and there is tons of originality and personality on this album from the piercing shreds to the unique melodies instrumentally and vocally. Additionally it is an impressive feat to sound so ancient and traditional yet so emboldened and powerful in the digital age, so kudos to these guys for being one of those bands powering through and keeping true Metal alive.A magical and potent slice of Heavy Metal that abides by tradition but is not suffocated by them. Pure Metal will always be something special when done correctly, which it is here. The feel is perfect and the songwriting lives up to this with an execution of masterful prowess. The flavour and unique moments are plentiful yet do not saturate the old school feeling. This is definitely an album all headbangers will be able to blast and be carried away into mystical realms by the ensemble of wailing guitars, pounding drums and superbly clear vocals. Totally excellent.

Line-Up:

Johnny Halladay - Vocals - See also: Chulainns Hound, ex-Chain, Crazy Bull
James Kirn - Guitars - See also: Bygone, Crazy Bull, ex-Infernal Stronghold
Pierson Roe - Bass, Synths - See also: Chulainns Hound, Nightghöul, ex-Backwoods Payback, ex-Castle Freak, ex-With the End in Mind, ex-Village, ex-Ardmore Assault, ex-Slit Lips
Ryan Haley - Drums

Tracklist:

01. Legends of Time and Eidolon (05:44)
02. Put Down Your Steel (Only for the Night) (04:00)
03. The Executioner's Woe (03:35)
04. Endless Halls of Golden Totem (05:42)
05. Alchemist's Brute (03:53)
06. The Night Watchmen of Starfall Tower (04:23)
07. Consumed by Glory Light (04:36)
08. Into Shore of Blood (06:15)




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Blazon Rite - Wild Rites And Ancient Songs (2023)











Year : 2023
Style : Heavy Metal
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 83 mb

Bio:

Heavy Metal Glory from the dungeons of Philadelphia.A year after the release of their brilliant “Dulce Bellum Inexpertis” EP, Philadelphia’s BLAZON RITE -that were founded back in 2019- return with their first full-length, “Endless Halls of Golden Totem”.The most of you should be already familiar with BLAZON RITE’s sound, as their debut 2020 EP was a briefly mentioned release into the underground Metal world. The four tracks of the EP were a great combination of Proto, Heavy and Obscure Epic Metal in the vein of early MANILLA ROAD. Well that was the starting point, lets see if they have still follow this epic, mystical path.Dungeons and Dragons-influenced metal that deals a deadly dose of NWOBHM and power metal complete with a resounding four-song concept.Upon the 2019 formation of Blazon Rite, guitarist and primary songwriter James Kirn had quite the simple, but universal edict: He wanted “heads to bang.” While such an approach has defined metal for the past 40 years, Kirn wanted to put his twist on the genre by combining his love of obscure ’70s hard rock and power metal while exploring the vast fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. In the span of a few months, Blazon Rite had assembled and recorded the four songs that would comprise their debut four-song EP, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis, which is being released worldwide via Gates of Hell Records.

Album:

A rag-tag band of capable metal warrior types sets aside their gear, grabs a room and a drink or two at the tavern and spends the week restocking, recharging and recalling their second set of adventures for whomever is willing to listen, or, happens to be within earshot. Trading the hum of folkish stride and golden key’d performance for ear-grabbing, hall riling electricity Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based heavy metal quartet Blazon Rite still appear in the bardic, braggart tradition of high fantasy heavy metal but this time their story is told with shirts ripped open, swords held high and ale flavored spittle slung in boastful song. ‘Wild Rites and Ancient Songs‘ has its cautionary tales, its empowering chants, and seeming tall tales enough to impress the greater pure heavy metal fandom with their vigor but it’ll likewise catch on with folks interested in epic heavy metal storytelling and some classic heavy rock gone heavy metal spiritus. A choice example of heavy metal crafted for the sake of the song yet thoroughly considered as a full album experience.We can assume Blazon Rite formed at some point prior to 2019, though most wouldn’t take notice of their earliest beginnings until 2020 when Gates of Hell issued their ‘Dulce Bellum Inexpertis‘ (2019) mLP on vinyl unto a broader audience. Upon giving short review of that version they’d impressed me with their pre-’86 era Iron Maiden borne form of traditional heavy metal, stating it was an “[…] inspired EP with universally appealing classic heavy metal notions abounding, very clean presentation and just enough garage-like thump to the drums to keep it sounding old-but-new.” Whereas many listeners heard the bardic tradition of Slough Feg (especially later on) thanks to the distinct register of vocalist Johnny Halladay the reality was arguably just as close to the catchier, chest-out throttle of Brocas Helm to start. It’d been clear from the get-go that this was a straight up heavy metal band, not a part of any curiously unending “new wave” of poodle rock or whatever but a proper strike at the best tradition and they’ve held true to making (mostly) pure heavy metal since.A shade of epic heavy metal stride and a general focus on faster pacing quickly became the extra something to keep their efforts notable and sticking in mind as Blazon Rite‘s debut full-length (‘Endless Halls of Golden Totem‘, 2021) sought to establish a very high standard right out of the gates. It was a bit oaken, kinda rocking in a folkish way compared to their prior release but songs like “Alchemist’s Brute” and such made good use of the all-in accoutrement (read: keyboards) and speedier pieces the band had introduced. Though I’d planned a full review of the album at the time it’d felt like they’d pushed pretty hard on the late 70’s rock ride more than the early 80’s heavy metal pump, leaving me shouldering a short review that’d still placed a high value on the record even if I’d probably wouldn’t (and generally haven’t) return to it in full beyond that point. That is less a judgement upon the band and moreso a symptom of excess on my part. Driven by their own undying call of their vision metal it seems these folks went right to it, piecing together the beginnings of a second full-length before the first was entirely realized.While Blazon Rite began writing ‘Wild Rites and Ancient Songs‘ before the first album was recorded we cannot necessarily consider it part two along the same lines but rather a step back into the more readable ~4-5 minute quest-based adventure metal realm, something equally readable as classics inspired but also a shade more circa ’84 from the perspective of 2010’s revivalist excess. While the debut had focuses on a folkish ’til high fantasy feeling centered around strong feature of Halladay‘s strong presence this follow-up smartly aims the camera equally upon songwriter/guitarist James Kirn and lead guitarist Pierson Roe who are more often featured at points of finessed interplay, at least in a slightly less chill but still Thin Lizzy-esque writ for dual guitar mode compared to ‘Endless Halls of Golden Totem‘. The best place to start reinforcing this observation is “Salvage What You Can of the Night” where we get a bit more charge in the delivery of the verses and a big, shout along hilt-gripping chorus wherein we still get the narrative gumption the band had built up prior but the bite of the riffs is sharper and the energy is up.Even the more ballad adjacent pieces here are a bit barrel-chested with “The Fall of a Once Great House” serving a surprising boon to an otherwise raring, energetic Side A. The effect of building towards an intensified pace is so effective that the middle portion of the album repeats this dynamic roughly three times with the otherwise bardic jogging rise of the title track being a pronounced step into the heavier rock indulgence of the band’s songwriters; The heavier, pushier side of things per “Troubadours of the Final Quarrel” and “Mark of the Stormborn Riders” do kick up closer to an earlier speed/power feeling just slightly but each have such pronounced choruses that we’re still in the pub, their yarn is ongoing and it all feels grounded in a celebration of heavy metal ways. That’d more-or-less sum what ‘Wild Rites and Ancient Songs‘ is all about, an ideal rendering of their own vision of a pure heavy metal record kept simple-yet-effective and from my point of view this is a great improvement upon the somewhat overworked and at times sleepier experience of the first record.The full listen is rousing to start, ‘epic’ in its more extended bouts of build-and-release songcraft and finds its way out of its very reasonable ~36 minute length with another charge. Blazon Rite certainly craft an effectively immersive narrative here through histories, retellings of events in their greater campaign which are rich with memorable choruses and group sung celebrations which are involved to the point that it all felt about ten minutes longer than it’d actually been. I’d found this lent itself well to repeat listening in every case though I’d just as well put this record on for a single ride through, only occasionally wincing at the somewhat incomplete residue left beyond the conclusion of “The Coming Tide of Yule”. It isn’t a grand exit but a fitting enough one for an exuberant record intent on telling a set of engaging stories. For my own taste this’d delivered upon the potential I’d found upon first impression of ‘Dulce Bellum Inexpertis‘ and likewise carried on with the strong personality and involved songcraft of the band’s first album. Belabored points on my part aside, this record was a joy to spend time with as celebratory heavy metal escapism of finest quality. A high recommendation.

Line-Up:

Johnny Halladay - Vocals - See also: Chulainns Hound, ex-Chain, Crazy Bull
James Kirn - Guitars - See also: Bygone, Crazy Bull, ex-Infernal Stronghold
Devin Graham - Bass
Pierson Roe - Bass, Synths - See also: Chulainns Hound, Nightghöul, ex-Backwoods Payback, ex-Castle Freak, ex-With the End in Mind, ex-Village, ex-Ardmore Assault, ex-Slit Lips
Ryan Haley - Drums

Tracklist:

01. Autumn Fear Brings Winter Doom 05:45
02. Salvage What You Can of the Night 04:40
03. The Fall of a Once Great House 06:17
04. Mark of the Stormborn Riders 05:22
05. Wild Rites and Ancient Songs 04:57
06. Troubadours of the Final Quarrel 04:27
07. The Coming Tide of Yule 04:36




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/