Darkest Era - Severance
Cruz Del Sur Music
Epic Folk/Heavy Metal
8 songs (44:51)
Release year: 2014
Cruz Del Sur Music
Reviewed by Thomas
Album of the month

Well well well, what have we here? Darkest Era blew me away with their magnificently crafted The Last Caress of Light back in 2011. It has stuck with me ever since, and I only just became aware that they had a new one out. In fact Severance was released a couple of months ago, without causing that much of a stir, at least not where I spend my hard-earned cash on quality metal. I stumbled over this by chance when I browsed the Cruz del Sur page for new bands to look into, and needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

Severance starts out as we all have come to expect from these guys. Sorrow's Boundless Realm has elements of Primordial and Atlantean Kodex neatly woven into it, and as black metal riffs akin to the bannermen of celtic metal clashes with the vastness of the Kodex, a new monster is created. The opener hammers on, going through the motions with tremolo riffs, a massive rhythm section and clean yet slightly raspy and epic vocal work from Krum. The cliff-battering waves keeps coming through Songs of Gods and Men, guitar solos ever prominent, and section breaks neck-snapping. The stage is set for battle, Severance delivers

Let there be no doubt though, that even if I've mentioned Primordial and Atlantean Kodex as particularly outstanding influences, this is catchy as Annwn (celtic hell). Part of what makes Darkest Era as good and fairly accessible as they are; is their ability to leap between genres while constantly offering up absolutely huge hooks. They draw on fellow countrymen Thin Lizzy and wear their Iron Maiden-influences shamelessly on their sleeves from time to time. As such, although dark and massive clouds are certainly looming, soaking through every riff, rhythm and vocal line, sheer heavy metal has a distinct impact, lending each song here some seriously unholy hooks and melodies. Look no further than The Serpent and the Shadow which will have you fist-pumping the sky, or The Scavenger for that matter, an anthem to all things wicked.

That said, Darkest Era can easily drag things down by dooming things up as heard onBeyond the Grey Veil and the somber, epic closer Blood, Sand and Stone. Churning out crushing, stone-heavy riffs delicately entwined with folk-inspired melodies, these songs in particular set a cataclysmic pace layered by soaring hymns of witches and death, coming of as definite highlights.

In short, Darkest Era are about to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the epic/folk/heavy metal sphere, and as before with The Last Caress of Light, when the last note is struck they leave you enchanted and bewitched, wondering were the magic has gone.

Killing Songs :
Everything, but Sorrow's Boundless Realms, The Scavenger and Blood, Sand and Stone are my top 3
Thomas quoted 90 / 100
Other albums by Darkest Era that we have reviewed:
Darkest Era - Gods and Origins reviewed by Alex and quoted no quote
Darkest Era - Last Caress of Light reviewed by Thomas and quoted 90 / 100
Darkest Era - The Journey Through Damnation reviewed by Alex and quoted 87 / 100
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