While we have a review already, because I compare the two and spend so much time writing this, I didn't want it to go to waste, I hope Kyle won't mind me adding my own review this way, his review stays the official one on the site.
Blackguard - Profugus Mortis
Melodeath with folk elements
Blackguard is a band I want to review for a long time. About 6-7 months ago I listened to them and was blown away by these guys. Immediately I thought Norther (first two albums) meets Children of Bodom's first albums. Before I stumbled on Euphoreon I was locked on listening the band's first two albums in loops for months and must be amongst the albums that have had the most plays in 2011 for me. First I discovered the band through their last album, and came quickly to discover their debut, Profugus Mortis.
A blend of melodic death metal with a good dose of folk, but not as much as bands like Suidakra or Ensiferum. The band also has a good dose of epic and majesty. There are two kinds of vocals, the high pitch squeal (and sometimes "barky") that really reminds me of Norther and sometimes even Alexi Laiho. There are also more guttural low growls, and while it's an interesting mix I highly prefer the former (fortunately it's largely dominant). Ensiferum fans should prefer this first album as it's more fantasy/folk. If you like the aforementioned bands, and would like to imagine a melpot sound of all of them, with some impressive guitar parts, sometimes furiously fast like on the chorus of the mythic song The Sword, my personal favorite on the album, which has one of the fastest most melodic riff I ever heard layered upon its chorus ! It gives me shivers down my spine every time I listen to it ! I hadn't heard something so beautiful, fast and furiously majestic since Lost Horizon's first album epic song Sworn in the Metal Wind. It's unfortunate we only hear that epic chorus three times only, and I think I would have preferred a smaller break in favor of an additional chorus repeat, but I nitpick. The album contains almost only killer songs, one after the other, some more melodic, some more dark, others more folk infused. Only one song is clearly inferior and not so much to my taste, I Demon, which is mostly dark, and has more the construction and elements of a Black Metal song with only a few moments you could call Melodeath with even a WTF Sonata Arctica like (melody-wise) break on the keyboard. Not being a fan of this style, I like this song a lot less than the others, but it doesn't tarnish the album in any way, I'm sure people who like both Melodeath and Black Metal will probably I'm crazy not liking that song that much. I prefer faster and more melodic songs, like This Round's on Me (who really reminds me strongly of Norther) and Allegiance, which epic factor and folk infused intro launches the song into a whirlwind and progressiveness that could be found on COB's Hatebreeder. The trumpet intro of In Time will show the more epic side of the band, and send you towards an incredibly satisfying bridge / chorus moment. In Time is also progressive and the band doesn't follow the usual verse/bridge/chorus, it evolves, varies, stays fresh, a la Hatebreeder, but in Blackguard's fashion. This is one of the most interesting melodeath bands I've had the pleasure to discover this year (and these past few years I might add) and they already entered my top 10 bands.
For a long time this album has been my favorite from Blackguard but as you will see in the other review this week, I have also extremely fond of the new album, even if it's quite a different beast altogether. They both have strong points, and I like the melodies and the folk / fantasy touch in this album very much, but the production and some amazing guitar work in Firefight makes it pretty much a tie. When I saw that the score for it was 38% at Encyclopedia Metallum, I was almost stopped into my wish of getting this first album. I'm glad I seeked it out anyway disgarding the score as a probable mistake. And well I did as it's a killer album which has a definite palce in my collection. While the production and mix could have been better, it's efficient enough, but when compared to the most accomplished and produced album that follows, it may sound a but light on the sound/prod part, but the soul and music is there, it's epic, it's grand, it's my kind of melodeath all the way ! I would give it a surprise of the month distinction but since that album is two years old now, I will put the Archive tag, but those reading will know what award it deserves (I would retroactively add it very high on my list of Yearly Awards 2009 if I could go back in time
). If you like melodic death metal and any or all the bands I've mentioned in this review, you owe it to yourself to give Blackguard a listen (or a hundred if you are like me
). What a debut album my friends !!! But wait,… there is more to come… and it's called Firefight !
KS : The Sword, In Time, This Round's on Me, Allegiance, Scarlet to Snow, Vain & In Last We Wage.
Chris
93 / 100
.
