From the shadows we shall rise
As the dragons of their tales"
One Word Review: Excellent
Everlore is a Finnish Heavy Metal band, and one of my great discoveries of 2020. They play a mix of heavy and power metal, with a strong old school, epic, touch. This is their debut, and it shows absolutely huge promise.
Here Be Dragons is a solid, in your face opener, where the lyrics show that the band has much more depth than your generic fantasy dragon.
Stranger Skies has a fantastic drive and flows seamlessly from one melody to the other, and back again. It is a truly melodic song, and I love the part where lead singer Joonas goes into his falsetto for a quick second, during a segment, that has kept growing in intensity throughout the song. It only happens this once on the album, but it is a memorable moment, as it takes the song over the edge.
Fear of Tomorrow has a superb chorus, and though it is a tragic song about being left behind, the positive music somehow works as a contrast, and the end result is both enjoyable and memorable. The melodic touch shows itself so many times throughout the album. One example is the ending to The Poet, which is just overpowering in its melodic outpouring.
My favorite song of the album has to be Race For The Sun. It has strong lyrics, a guitar battle and a strong buildup to its fantastic chorus. It is a showcase of held back intensity, and whenever I hear it, I feel the need to clench my fist tightly, raise it high in the air and sing along to the lyrics, while charging ahead. It is one of those songs that emanates positive energy, and I long to hear it live one fine day.
Brighter Tomorrow is a fast and furious blast of air, and as it speeds down its bridge leading to the chorus, it is a great feeling. Bleeding Land is a slow burning power ballad and works very well before the final dual epic.
Foreword is a beautiful intro to the closing The Book Of My Tales, a solid powerful song, which ends the album on just the right note.
Lead vocalist Joonas Kunnela has a voice that suits the music really well, and he delivers a great performance. In the rhythm section drummer Petteri Milan lays down a solid base, with great fills and he is constantly driving the music forward. On bass Ville Koskinen has a lot of fun, as he roams around in the background, often peeking out behind the wall of sound with a small melody. Guitarists Juuso Virnes and Samu Pettersson work together in great union, and I find it impressive that the band sounds as tight as they do on this debut.
After having discovered the album on Tidal and 5 listens, I purchased the album from their Bandcamp site, where you get the album on both CD and in 24bit flac, which is highly recommended. On my system, the sound is an improvement, compared to the Tidal version.
After those 5 listens, the songs started engraving themselves in my brain, and from then on, they only got better and better. So give the album a chance, and you will find the songs blossoming into something long lasting.
What makes me return to the album is the band's ability to showcase a special sense of melody, a clear joy of playing, and songs that feel compact and complete. Everlore has soul, and they have managed to infuse their debut with this innocent, vibrant feel. I hope this takes them far, and that they will hone their skills and stay true to the core that they have displayed here. I can't wait for the follow up to this most excellent debut. Here be great hope for the future.
Written By Steen
Online: Saturday, March 20, 2021
Video Section
Here Be Dragons
Fear Of Tomow
The Book Of My Tales