Album review: BLOODBOUND – Creatures Of The Dark Realm

May 26th, 2021 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 28.05.21]

When Bloodbound’s principal songwriters, Fredrik Bergh and Tomas Olsson rerouted their musical artistry from the AOR of Street Talk to the land of Power Metal, they brought the underlying principles of hooky melodic rock with them.

That was 17 years and 10 albums ago. Their music is formula. A tried and tested formula. It works. It’s addictive. To the extent that a sizeable fanbase welcomes each new album like an old friend, reflecting the observation that hardcore fans seldom embrace change, what they want is more of the same. That’s what they get with Creatures Of The Dark Realm.

Many of the tracks are orchestral refinements of power metal, occasionally nodding to past glories. And you’ll not get many better resonating, rifftastic intros than that of ‘When Fate Is Calling’, or a more convincing Wagnerian middle section. Similarly, ‘Ever Burning Flame’ employs a significant weight of backing vocals, urging us to join the operatic chorus.

The band is as tight as a drum, and they prove all over again with this album that they can write tightly structured songs packed with hair-raising dynamic shifts and vertiginous choruses. ‘A Gathering Of Souls’ shows it off best… a heavyweight, surging rock song with a power metal spine, closely followed by the anthemic ‘March To War’ and the bombastic ‘Death Will Lead The Way’, which ramps up the theatre, sounding much like a battle scene from Game Of Thrones.

In fact the whole album has the rhythmic flow of a movie, rising and falling, raising the temperature with astute use of triumphal choruses and memorable melodies, punctuating the songs with heartstopping hooks and musical battle cries. At the same time staying sane within the chaos of the drama.

And the sure sign of a talented band… they make it all sound effortless. ****

review by Brian McGowan

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