Folk Metal
Reaper Entertainment
Release Date – April 11th 2025
Links: https://shop.elvenking.net/
Line Up:
Damna – Vocals
Aydan – Guitar/Keyboards/Backing Vocals
HeadMatt – Guitar
Jakob – Bass
Symohn – Drums
Lethien – Violin
Tracklist:
Season Of The Owl
Luna
Gone Epoch
Stormcarrier
Starbath
On These Haunted Shores
The Ghosting
Throes Of Atonement
The Weeping
Reader Of The Runes – Book II
Well, it’s finally here. The final instalment of the ‘Reader Of The Runes’ which Elvenking started back in 2019 with ‘Divination’ then ‘Rapture’ in 2023. Now we have ‘Luna’ where everything is explained, and they reveal who the Reader Of The Runes is. Nope, no spoilers from me.
It’s epic from the start on ‘Season Of The Owl’ with some major keys and violin giving way to the crunching guitars and a rapid rhythm. It’s big and symphonic with a real punch before ‘Luna’ carries on with a fabulous melody from guitarists Headmatt and Aydan which heads into power metal territory. ‘Gone Epoch’ brings the folk with a nice violin line from Lethien before it settles into a bass driven groove then it’s some more rabid power metal on ‘Stormcarrier’ where singer Damna (I think) brings his death metal voice. ‘Starbath’ is a simple chug-along before we get going on the Amon Amarth grind of On These Haunted Shores which is guaranteed to get you banging your head. It’s a Priest-like opening on ‘The Ghosting’ as it settles down into a melodic metal mid-pacer then it’s back to the real folk-metal on ‘Throes Of Atonement’ before the acoustics come out on ‘The Weeping’. It’s dark, heavy and atmospheric. Elvenking do not disappoint, and they’ve saved the best for last with the eleven-minute epic ‘Reader Of The Runes – Book II’. Just let it go and marvel in the complex arrangements and melodies and throw your horns in praise that a band will go that extra mile nowadays.
I’m happy and sad. Happy that they have released this wonderful record but sad the saga is over. Elvenking have brought everything from the previous two records and filled this with the best bits to produce a monumental album that although is a concept, like most of the ‘Runes’ songs you can play alone. World class performances, world class songs and a world class production. Sod it I’m gonna binge them all again!
Written by: Smudge
Ratings: 9/10
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