Released by: Napalm Records

Release Date: 4 October 2024

Genre: Dwarven Power Metal

Links: https://www.facebook.com/windroseofficial/

Line Up:

Francesco Cavalieri – Vocals

Claudio Falconcini – Guitars

Federico Meranda – Keyboards

Cristiano Bertocchi – Bass

Federico Gatti – Drums

Tracklist:

1. Of Ice and Blood
2. Dance of the Axes
3. The Great Feast Underground
4. Rock and Stone
5. To Be a Dwarf
6. Home of the Twilight
7. Trollslayer
8. Legacy of the Forge
9.No More Sorrow

After the thrilling instrumental introduction to the album, the opening track proper, Dance of the Axes, injects a powerful dose of folk metal into the proceedings, giving Wind Rose a touch of Ensiferum, expanding their approach and, I believe, appealing to metalheads in general.

If you’re thinking, “Oh, that’s not my cup of tea,” don’t fret, as The Great Feast Underground and Rock and Stone return to the familiar drinking anthems that Wind Rose electrifies the crowd with at their concerts. The latter track, like Diggy Diggy Hole, has its roots in the world of gaming and, in this case, departing from Minecraft, we now explore the space-dwarf intergalactic first-person shooter, Deep Rock Galactic. If you can say that after a few rounds of ale, then it’s worth checking out the insane game yourself as it perfectly suits the band’s personality.

We’ve also got a nod to Warhammer with the album’s title track, which collectively suggests the band has an abundance of material to draw inspiration from for many albums to come. I remember seeing them open one of the stages at the Masters of Rock festival in Czechia back in 2017, and I’ve been hooked ever since. When you have energetic anthems like Rock and Stone that you can’t help but sing, chant, and “air-dig” along to, it’s no surprise that Wind Rose’s popularity is on the rise. It also explains their upcoming tour with Powerwolf and Hammerfall, definitely one of those dream concert lineups.

My personal favorite album track, with its intro confirming its replay value for me, is Legacy of the Forge. It pounds away at a relentless pace and harkens back to Wind Rose’s roots and original influences from their early days. Their decision to present it to their fans as an album closer, almost as a way of saying, “We’ve evolved but we also remember where we came from,” is perfect. The surprise, however, comes with the actual album closer, No More Sorrow. With its slower-paced intro that gradually builds, there are elements of classic Rhapsody in there. As the rhythm settles into a groove that would make Till Lindemann punch his thigh to the music, the lyrics delve deeply into loss and hardship, and it’s enough to make a grown dwarf weep into his beard. It’s a powerful emotional piece. Well done, fellas.