Elvenking is embarking on a new adventure.
Following the release of the third installment of their ambitious trilogy, the band has certainly not been resting on its laurels! Aydan (guitar/vocals/keyboards), Damna (vocals, Hell in the Club), Lethien (violin), Symohn (drums), Jakob (bass, Moonlight Haze), and HeadMatt (guitar, Chaos Factory) are back in action and releasing their new EP, Rites of Disclosure, in partnership with Reaper Entertainment.
Two former band members, Lancs (drums, ex-Hell in the Club, ex-Lione / Conti) and Rafahel (guitar, Garden Wall, Burnin’ Dolls) also contributed to the recording of two tracks.
We kick off the first half with Blizzards of Anger, the opening track that immediately plunges us back into the band’s enchanting yet sometimes slightly aggressive world, whether through the riffs or the growls that perfectly complement the more welcoming clean vocals. The keyboards also soften the rhythm section in their own way, but the solo reinvigorates the mix, then the pace slows down for Rite Of Passage, a more heady track that draws on its energetic power metal influences to impose a catchy rhythm without sacrificing its melodic or, conversely, darker elements. The track is easy on the ears but shifts to a much more prominent folk foundation on The Past Is Forever, a track with an instrumental arrangement that’s almost too cheerful for the melancholy it evokes, conveyed through ethereal harmonies that naturally join in the celebration. The band then welcomes Jonny Maudling (Kull, ex-Bal-Sagoth) on keyboards for The Moon and Magic, a rather solemn track that uses certain ethereal elements to create an interesting diversity all on its own and a haunting break before moving on to the shorter Ethel, an acoustic composition featuring a purely Folk foundation, uplifting vocals, and a few sharper notes while maintaining a joyful tone.
For the second half of the EP, the band turns to covers, and the first of these is Arrival, borrowed from King Diamond. The band perfectly captures the song’s gloomy, haunting atmosphere while infusing it with an intoxicating energy, even daring to tackle the King’s highest notes, which they nail brilliantly, just like the polished solos by Andy La Rocque and Michael Denner. Next up is the equally complex No Prayer for the Dying, an Iron Maiden cover that’s certainly slower but just as intense, particularly on the vocals, which are also flawlessly executed and which undoubtedly gave the vocalist, as well as the guitarists, a run for their money! Children of Bodom’s Children of Decadence will awaken the latent aggression that had been set aside with the two previous tracks, letting the frontman roar while his bandmates go wild, only to continue more gently with Bathory’s Man of Iron, an opportunity for a simple yet moving and dreamy acoustic interlude. A return to Folk roots with Salt on the Earth (Another Man’s Poison), a track by the British band Skyclad, which recaptures that energetic vibe thanks to its choppy riffs and frequent tempo changes. Then, featuring not one, but two renowned guests: Snowy Shaw (drums, ex-Dream Evil, ex-Dimmu Borgir, ex-King Diamond, ex-Mercyful Fate, ex-Notre Dame…) and Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan (vocals/bass, Venom Inc., ex-M: Pire of Evil, ex-Venom…), that the band closes out its EP with Prime Evil, a Venom track that they both respect and make their own, offering a lively and interesting reinterpretation.
While one might have thought Elvenking would take a little break after such an adventure, Rites of Disclosure proves us wrong! There are certainly only five new tracks, but the covers are also perfect for continuing in the band’s universe!
80/100