Year : 2026 (Reaper Entertainment Digital Edition)
Style : Melodic Folk Power Metal
Country : Italy
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 74 mb
Bio:
Since 1997, Italian metal pioneers ELVENKING have been an active part of the European scene steadily building a rapidly growing cult fan-base and performing around Europe, in both their home country, Budapest (where a strong set at the Sziget gathering several years ago had people talking for months), and the UK where the band appeared at the legendary Bloodstock Festival with ex Skyclad / Sabbat singer Martin Walkyier (in 2002) and at Metalfest in Dudley (2009) where the band walked away with the joint ‘Band Of The Festival’ prize sharing the spoils with Brainstorm.The band debuted on record in 2001 with the excellent "Heathenreel", but this would only be the beginning. Spreading mystic tales of fantasy and imagination to a wider audience, that album proved that their mixture of epic power metal and frisky folk was capable of instantly grabbing attention and was a lot more focused and real than many. "Wyrd", the band's second album was released in 2004, followed by another showcase of their musical individuality, "The Winter Wake", unleashed in 2006; but it was probably “The Scythe” (released in 2007) that became their biggest success so far and set the band on the current path. Not only did they dare to enhance their unique sound with some more dark/modern elements (to the delight of many), but with its strikingly bold track “The Divided Heart” they presented a high class video clip that has grabbed the attention of over one million (!) viewers on the internet, a feat that continues to this day. Their semi-acoustic 2008 follow up to “The Scythe”, “Two Tragedy Poets (...And A Caravan Of Weird Figures)” displayed their folk roots like never before and provided the band with their first European headlining tours and biggest festival bookings such as “Summer Breeze” but for 2010, the band has decided to return to full electric power again with “Red Silent Tides”. A tour with Primal Fear accompanied the release, as well as many headliner shows and festivals throughout Europe, proving that ELVENKING is more wanted than ever before. Now, 2012, the band embarks to a new “Era”. Join them on their trip, it will be exciting!
Album:
Elvenking is embarking on a new adventure.Following the release of the third installment of their ambitious trilogy, the band has certainly not been resting on its laurels! Aydan (guitar/vocals/keyboards), Damna (vocals, Hell in the Club), Lethien (violin), Symohn (drums), Jakob (bass, Moonlight Haze), and HeadMatt (guitar, Chaos Factory) are back in action and releasing their new EP, Rites of Disclosure, in partnership with Reaper Entertainment.Two former band members, Lancs (drums, ex-Hell in the Club, ex-Lione / Conti) and Rafahel (guitar, Garden Wall, Burnin’ Dolls) also contributed to the recording of two tracks.We kick off the first half with Blizzards of Anger, the opening track that immediately plunges us back into the band’s enchanting yet sometimes slightly aggressive world, whether through the riffs or the growls that perfectly complement the more welcoming clean vocals. The keyboards also soften the rhythm section in their own way, but the solo reinvigorates the mix, then the pace slows down for Rite Of Passage, a more heady track that draws on its energetic power metal influences to impose a catchy rhythm without sacrificing its melodic or, conversely, darker elements. The track is easy on the ears but shifts to a much more prominent folk foundation on The Past Is Forever, a track with an instrumental arrangement that’s almost too cheerful for the melancholy it evokes, conveyed through ethereal harmonies that naturally join in the celebration. The band then welcomes Jonny Maudling (Kull, ex-Bal-Sagoth) on keyboards for The Moon and Magic, a rather solemn track that uses certain ethereal elements to create an interesting diversity all on its own and a haunting break before moving on to the shorter Ethel, an acoustic composition featuring a purely Folk foundation, uplifting vocals, and a few sharper notes while maintaining a joyful tone.For the second half of the EP, the band turns to covers, and the first of these is Arrival, borrowed from King Diamond. The band perfectly captures the song’s gloomy, haunting atmosphere while infusing it with an intoxicating energy, even daring to tackle the King’s highest notes, which they nail brilliantly, just like the polished solos by Andy La Rocque and Michael Denner. Next up is the equally complex No Prayer for the Dying, an Iron Maiden cover that’s certainly slower but just as intense, particularly on the vocals, which are also flawlessly executed and which undoubtedly gave the vocalist, as well as the guitarists, a run for their money! Children of Bodom’s Children of Decadence will awaken the latent aggression that had been set aside with the two previous tracks, letting the frontman roar while his bandmates go wild, only to continue more gently with Bathory’s Man of Iron, an opportunity for a simple yet moving and dreamy acoustic interlude. A return to Folk roots with Salt on the Earth (Another Man’s Poison), a track by the British band Skyclad, which recaptures that energetic vibe thanks to its choppy riffs and frequent tempo changes. Then, featuring not one, but two renowned guests: Snowy Shaw (drums, ex-Dream Evil, ex-Dimmu Borgir, ex-King Diamond, ex-Mercyful Fate, ex-Notre Dame…) and Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan (vocals/bass, Venom Inc., ex-M: Pire of Evil, ex-Venom…), that the band closes out its EP with Prime Evil, a Venom track that they both respect and make their own, offering a lively and interesting reinterpretation.While one might have thought Elvenking would take a little break after such an adventure, Rites of Disclosure proves us wrong! There are certainly only five new tracks, but the covers are also perfect for continuing in the band’s universe!
Line-Up:
Damna - Vocals (lead) (1998-2002, 2004-present), Bass (1999-2000) - See also: Hell in the Club, ex-Leprechaun
Aydan - Guitars, Vocals (harsh, backing), Keyboards (1997-present)
Jakob - Bass (2012-present) - See also: Moonlight Haze, The Black Lodge, ex-Tragoedia, ex-Trioxia, ex-Burning Black, ex-Scarface
HeadMatt - Guitars (2022-present) - See also: Chaos Factory, Feline Melinda, Headcrush, ex-Bullet-Proof
Symohn - Drums (2011-2017, 2022-present) - See also: ex-Time, Scarface (Pantera tribute), Shadygrove, ex-Revoltons, ex-Sinheresy (live)
Lethien - Violin (2010-present) - See also: All My Faith Lost..., Shadygrove
Tracklist:
01. Blizzards of Anger 04:38
02. Rite of Passage 05:14
03. The Past Is Forever 03:48
04. Arrival (King Diamond cover) 05:29
05. Children of Decadence (Children of Bodom cover) 05:35
06. Man of Iron (Bathory cover) 02:30
07. Salt on the Earth (Another Man's Poison) (Skyclad cover) 04:47
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