Released By : Self Released
Genre : Power Metal, Traditional Heavy Metal
Links : http://www.elvenpath.com/
Tracklist:
01. For our liberty
02. Into the future
03. Guardians of the underground
04. Moria
05. Enflaming demands
06. Cellars of doom
07. Metal Suite I
08. Metalwar
09. Metal Suite II
10. War of steel
11. Metal Suite III
12. Metalsteel
13. Metal Suite IV
Just in case you aren’t sure what kind of music you might find on this new self-titled album from German band ELVENPATH just take a look at the song titles of the last seven songs on the disc….Metal, Metal, Metal, Metal, Metal and Steel!!! That just about sums up perfectly what’s going on here. While there are some NWOBHM ideals and a smidge of power metal, the best way to describe this album is simply ‘EAVY BLOODY METAL!
What I do enjoy about the album is there is a certain sense here of utter tribute to all things true metal, but the album also doesn’t shy away from the fact that there is a lot of cheese factor with this type of release these days. For example the album artwork on the rear cover shows something that looks like an elven blacksmith with his own copy of this particular album on his anvil while he is watching the band play live through some magic portal or mirror or something. The front cover too shows a patch-covered denim jacket wearing metalhead taking a bow and arrow through a similar magic portal into a land of dragons. I guess you could say this is what MANOWAR would appear to be if they didn’t take themselves as seriously as they do. It’s not like the lyrics here or anything else are comedic, not even the slightest bit and musically they are probably closer to say IRON MAIDEN than MANOWAR but respecting the fact that the genre also has it’s small flaws is a very respectable move.
While the last seven tracks make up somewhat of a mini-concept, with small thirty second interludes in between it’s not essential for being able to enjoy this album. The standout tracks here are the true metal eight minute gem WAR OF STEEL (THE TRUEOLOGY PART II) and also an earlier song INTO THE FUTURE which begins with a dual guitar riff that even IRON MAIDEN would have been proud to call their own before maturing into an excellent song.
If I was going to criticize anything here it would be just that the lead vocals need a little bit more refining, no they aren’t awful or anything like that, just a little flat in places that’s all. If ELVENPATH can rectify this situation quickly and can continue to write interesting songs with catchy metal riffs I can see no reason why they couldn’t gain some pretty serious recognition. This is the band’s third release, and hailed by them personally as a fresh start with a finally settled line-up, let’s hope it’s a good omen for things to come.
Written By ZeeZee
Rating : 8/10
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