A new adventure lies ahead for Telperion.
Following their rebirth in 2023, the band which has undergone a few lineup changes is now ready to present their second album, Chapter I: Astral Exodus.
As the Sun Rises slowly draws us in with ethereal keyboards, quickly followed by epic tones and the first hints of clean vocals, which ultimately give way to riffs with distinct heavy metal influences, allowing the vocalist to deliver some compelling growls. The track quickly gives way to Xerov the Necromancer, a much darker piece where even the vocals are unsettling, injecting a bit of power into the jerky rhythm section, though some backing vocals further heighten the anxiety. We finally move on to Brotherhood, the next track where majestic sounds resurface, complementing the Folk-rooted riffs as well as the few rallying cries that form the chorus, while Through the Dark Portal offers us a rhythmic march accompanied by a haunting flute. The contrast between the different elements is quite interesting, especially when the vocals come into play, then the heavier break will dampen our progress with a rather unsettling finale, while Light of a Dying Sun will once again illuminate the path. The track takes us on a gentle journey with haunting harmonies, but also features more energetic bursts that eventually lead us to The Battle of Ilyu, where the tone is significantly more aggressive despite the dreamy passages the band naturally weaves in. The final features an intriguing, haunting quality that stands in stark contrast to the joyful energy of Ermund’s Triumph, the next track, where the musicians start with a much lighter touch before sinking back into darkness to better match Ermund’s Plea’s heavy atmosphere which follows. The vocalist’s growls respond to his clean vocals, as well as to the mysterious spoken words from which an intense solo emerges, followed by From Desolation to New Unknowns” which soothes us once more before resuming its more sustained pace, allowing the musicians to develop their own energy and finally close the album with a soaring gentleness.
Chapter I: Astral Exodus marks the beginning of an ambitious project for Telperion, which has only just emerged from its slumber. The band knows where it’s going with this album, but its pace is sometimes a bit too gentle for my taste, even as it explores interesting territory.
70/100