By Roberto Guerra
The announcement of the arrival on the market of a new album by the American band Warlord was not without controversy or controversy, especially given by the premature death of the famous guitarist and composer William J. Tsamis, who was responsible for much of the repertoire of one of the bands most seminal in the old-fashioned epic heavy/power metal field.
In fact, many people blame his historic partner and drummer Mark Zonder for wanting to keep the project alive, also drawing in part on what his late colleague composed, and these are speeches that we can partially understand; however, on our pages music is always put first, and this being the case we cannot fail to celebrate what is an authentic event, also and above all considering that we are talking about a band that despite having produced few albums in their career complete, has managed to rise among the highest steps of the epic metal panorama, thanks to its indisputable class.
For the occasion, the line-up was also almost completely renewed last year – with only Mark Zonder himself and bassist Philip Bynoe still present – to add further curiosity and food for discussion on the topic; but not before having reviewed the eight songs that make up the new album coming out, in as much depth as possible, while waiting for the review. Enjoy the reading!
WARLORD
Mark Zonder – Drums
Philip Bynoe – Bass
Diego Pires – Guitars
Eric Juris – Guitars
Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards
Giles Lavery – Voice
FREE SPIRIT SOAR
Exit date: 10/05/2024
Label: High Roller Records
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01. Behold A Pale Horse (07:49)
Particular is the choice to start the album with the revival of a song originally released by the late and aforementioned William J. Tsamis within his Lordian Guard project in the mid-90s.
The incipit makes the drums its key instrument, and then introduces guitar melodies with an essentially evocative purpose, before the arrival of Gilles Lavery’s voice, which immediately makes his indisputable abilities behind the microphone clear.
In conjunction with the solo, the atmosphere, until then quite gloomy, begins to light up, then giving way to authentic orchestrations, which in their own way showcase the band’s intention not to skimp on certain refined and refined inserts, almost more typical of modern power metal, rather than the more old school one.
02. The Rider (04.25)
In this case the duration is lowered, but the use of melodies and the keyboard is increased, which in the initial seconds adopts an Eighties sound and then moves behind the other instruments and the voice, albeit temporarily.
The result is almost relaxing, even if some listeners who are more faithful to harder sounds might find it a bit corny at times and also too devoted to pure melody and, in some ways, almost whistleable as a whole.
The guitar solo is probably among the best played of the lot, even if in fact one is starting to feel the lack of a piece with a more lively appearance, but this is a limitation destined to disappear within a few minutes.
03. Conquerors (05:19)
The first single made available, already well known to many listeners, and among these there are many who were amazed by the general quality conveyed by these five minutes of great old-school power metal.
To be honest, this is the first real moment in which the most belligerent creativity of Warlord becomes the protagonist, as clearly distinguishable from the faster and more pressing rhythm section, as well as from a vocal interpretation that modulates between evocative verses and choruses as singable as they are rich. of pathos and displays of technique, especially in the moments following the solo and preceding the third take, in which considerable octaves are touched. Very high levels also for the guitar phrasings, which in fact represent a sort of authentic alternative to the voice as regards the melodic sector and its valorisation, which is, to say the least, fundamental in a production of this genre.
04. Worms Of The Earth (05.46)
Authentic choirs announce the beginning of what is probably the darkest and most gloomy song in the setlist, to the point of appearing not so distant from a well-made epic doom piece, albeit always with that flavor of power metal to shine in the metallic firmament. The flow is in fact rhythmic, very suitable for healthy headbanging, and the chorus is in its own way lapidary and excellent for a hypothetical live performance; for those who know the genre in question, an excellent compromise between the parties could be the Germans Atlantean Kodex, whose musical repertoire also finds its inspiration in a group like Warlord, who in this case get even closer to the sound of their more young.
05. Free Spirit Soar (05:57)
Here the incipit presents itself almost with a psychedelic appearance, but at the stroke of the precise minute the title track explodes in a riot of combative melody and rhythms with the accelerator pressed, ready however to slow down when the voice takes over, and then load up again in the moment in which a damn inciting and engaging sung refrain is released, which in some ways leaves us amazed, considering what seemed to be the direction taken by the song.
Similarly, even the instrumental phase preceding the last chorus takes on a connotation very rich in different elements, to the delight of the listeners who are most fond of the orchestration and those inserts that are at times a little combed, but actually quite effective if there is a need to enhance the epic nature of a proposal like that of the Warlord.
06. The Bell Tolls (04:37)
A title that recalls another much older song composed by an American reality well known to all listeners, but which in this case hides what is probably one of the best pieces of the package, characterized by a biting main riff and, above all, from a refrain to be sung at full volume while looking towards the burning skies, which are also mentioned in the same text.
It is not exactly an adrenaline-pumping song in the most predictable sense of the term, but the aforementioned result is nevertheless achieved thanks to a general realization that here reaches the pinnacle of inspiration, effectively creating a potential hit, which would not have gone out of tune with the inside of a more iconic album, such as the well-known “And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun…” dated 1984.
07. Alarm (05:51)
Musically we are perhaps in the presence of the most ‘manowarian’ of the extracts, including even feral vocal inserts and effects applied in post-production, perhaps unnecessary, but nevertheless with an effect in terms of variety capable of giving a further personality to a phase that aims to convey an authentic sensation of war danger.
Once again, however, it is the melodic section that stands out, and the sung phrases manage to stick in one’s head even after just a few listens, pushing the listener to listen to the piece more than once for the pure pleasure of singing the verses together with Giles Lavery.
The presence of keyboards is also fundamental here, which could make people turn up their noses again, but personally we believe that the musical direction undertaken by Mark Zonder and his companions needs the controversial keyboard instrument to be able to play exactly as he wants.
08. Revelation XIX (07:27)
Exactly as it began, the album ends with another revival of a song originally written for Lordian Guard by William J. Tsamis: we don’t know if the intention was to pay homage to him, or to draw from his artistic inkwell as some hypothesize, but this is not the place to make ethical examinations.
The song also stands out from the rest of the setlist, as it seems in its own way to want to be something more old-school than the rest of the tracklist, with a long guitar introduction to lay the foundations for a piece which, like a company of knights, passes from a sort of march to an authentic ride towards eternal glory.
An atmospheric conclusion with a historical aftertaste, which even manages to be danceable, despite the at times even religious drift present since the original version.
