Evertale – Of Dragon and Elves Review

All Power Metal fans owe it to themselves to check this one out, only the hardest to please out there won't be swept away by it's charm. The biggest...

evertale_cover

Released by:  Self Release

Release Date: Out Now!!!

Genre: Power Metal

Links: http://www.evertale.eu/

 

Line Up:

Matthias Graf – Matze – (Vocals, Guitars)

Matthias Holzafpel – Woody – (Lead Guitars)

Marco Bächle (Bass)

Martin Schumacher (Drums)

 

Tracklist:

Paladine’s Embrace

In the Sign of the Valiant Warrior

Tale of the Everman

The Dragon’s Lair

Of Dragons and Elves

Elventwilight

As Tarsis Falls

The Crownguard’s Quest

Dawn of Winter Night

The Last Knight

Sturm’s Funeral March

Firestorm

Brothers in War (Forever Damned)

The Final Page

 

As the new year begins and most of us involved in the media side of music-land have completed and filed our best-of lists for 2013, Promos for the first crop of 2014 releases come flooding through and the race to try and keep up with them all begins. Unfortunately what this means is that a lot ot bands that release their albums very late in the year can unfortunately get looked over. But even though I am currently busy with a couple of very anticipated albums to listen to, I feel it would be remiss of me to not ensure that MyGlobalMind.com doesn’t forget to include at least one more 2013 album review before moving on. The album in question is the debut release from German Power Metal troupe EVERTALE, aptly titled OF DRAGON AND ELVES.

While a lot of current Power Metal outfits are in a battle with each other to steer away from the more traditional Tolkien-esque songwriting, EVERTALE make no apologies for their pure fantasy-based lyric style, with OF DRAGONS AND ELVES actually being inspired by the Chronicles Trilogy of novels, written and released between 1984-1985 and set in the fictional DRAGONLANCE universe. It’s a ballsy approach which pays off big-time with the band almost instantaneously starting out with something that stands out from the pack.

Not done with the utmost care though, the decision to run with a full-scale epic fantasy suite as a debut could have very well sunk the band before they even knew what hit them. That won’t be an issue here though as every single element of this album is way above what it should be for a debut. The artwork, the epic production, amazing musicianship, stunning vocals, smart and interesting songwriting and a great ability to pace an album properly all combine to shoot EVERTALE straight up into the top tier of Power Metal acts and if there is any justice in this world they should instantly be on level billing with bands like like BLIND GUARDIAN, STRATOVARIUS, RHAPSODY, HAMMERFALL and DRAGONLAND.

With a 14 track, 80+ minute running time, OF DRAGONS AND ELVES could have, and probably should have, run off the rails at some point, but somehow it never does. After the obligatory intro, you’re hit straight in the face with one of the best Power Metal songs to be released in years in SIGN OF THE VALIANT WARRIOR. Now this is the perfect song to show anybody that wants to know what this style of music is all about, and by the time I had finished my first listen of this track I was already an EVERTALE fan. For a debut album to have one single track as impressive as this would have been a satisfactory achievement in anybody’s eyes, OF DRAGONS AND ELVES keeps throwing epic gems at you all the way through. THE DRAGON’S LAIR, AS TARSIS FALLS, THE CROWNGUARD’S QUEST, FIRESTORM… All absolutely brilliant tracks that should be enough to excite anybody that calls themselves a Power Metal fan.

I truly cannot think of anything even slightly negative to say about OF DRAGONS AND ELVES. It’s a truly stunning album that is way too good to be a debut. If I had begun listening to it a little earlier in the year it would have easily broken into my top five albums for 2013. All Power Metal fans owe it to themselves to check this one out, only the hardest to please out there won’t be swept away by it’s charm. The biggest challenge now for EVERTALE is how they follow the album up. Good luck with that guys…..

 

Written by Zeezee

Ratings    Zeezee    10/10

About Author

 
Categories
Album Reviews
EXTREME’S UNMATCHED MUSICAL MASTERY AND ELECTRIFYING STAGE PRESENCE: A DEFINING FORCE IN ROCK HISTORY LIVE AT MARS MUSIC HALL, HUNTSVILLE, AL
EXTREME’S UNMATCHED MUSICAL MASTERY AND ELECTRIFYING STAGE PRESENCE: A DEFINING FORCE IN ROCK HISTORY LIVE AT MARS MUSIC HALL, HUNTSVILLE, AL

EXTREME’S UNMATCHED MUSICAL MASTERY AND ELECTRIFYING STAGE PRESENCE: A DEFINING FORCE IN ROCK HISTORY LIVE AT MARS MUSIC HALL, HUNTSVILLE, AL

Photo Credit: Myglobalmind

Imminence - The Black

Satch/Vai Tour Simply Sensational in Front of Sold Out Symphony Hall in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024

Deicide – Banished By Sin Review

Battlecreek – Maze Of The Mind Review

Following a four-decade hiatus, Dan Lilker will reunite with Anthrax for their forthcoming tour across the United States and South America

RELATED BY

G-TQ58R0YWZE