DoomSword
The Eternal Battle

I have always had a certain passion for dragons and everything related to the mythological imagery originating from Northern Europe; now it seems natural, consequently, my dedication to epic and classy power... and when it's a band from beautiful Italy, I literally go to seventh heaven. And this is the case with the dark Doomsword, who have already delighted us in the past with some valid studio works ("resound The Horn" above all). This new studio effort from them, titled "The Eternal Battle," immediately denotes a dark and cavernous adherence (despite the absence of Growl) that outlines nine tracks of powerful epic-metal.

Let's move on to examine the songs present

1. "Varus Battle" serves as the opener and catapults the listener into the midst of the greatest slaughter of imperial Rome, the battle of Teutoburg indeed. Like every opener of times gone by, it is devastating and utterly violent, where the guitar and rhythm section mark the pace of a song that makes power its banner and brutality its sword to pierce the listener along the notes of a fast, melodic, and fitting solo, placed towards the end of the track, which directly flows into the riff of the next title track.
2. "Eternal Battle" represents a somewhat canonical track, pleasant to listen to and endowed with the heavy feel that characterizes the entire album. It's like a well-executed task that manages to convince despite seeming to be done with a formula extracted from an arithmetic volume. Good solo here too, bringing to mind the sharp notes of the well-known Ross The Boss.
3. "Wrath of the Gods" follows the wake of the previous track with the same dark vein and a greater number of guitar solos. Track within the band's average.
4. "Soldier of Fortune" raises the quality of the platter with a highly effective epic chorus and an engaging acceleration from the halfway point onwards. Then comes again a fine guitar solo accompanying the song's rise until it explodes at the acceleration itself. Once finished, the good chorus prevails again, leading the song to its conclusion.
5. "Battle at the End of Time" keeps the attention high and shares the same formula as tracks 2 and 3. The band's ability to provide songs with a musical thread and a narrative interpretation in the singing is commendable.
6. With "The Fulminant," a series of songs begin, steering the album towards a glorious close. But this track stands out from its sisters thanks to a crescendo intro that places the riff and guitar work at the center of attention through an oriental and mystical melody, although severe and ancestral. This time the chorus yields somewhat to the rest of the song, passing before the listener's eyes like a necessary intermezzo and, truthfully, moderately indigestible. Still, an excellent track.
7. "Song of the Black Sword" revives the band's habit of infusing their songs with memorable choruses and perfectly inserted epic-melodic solos that are never excessive. Yet another excellent song blessed by an involved band and a mythical lyric.
8. "The Time Has Come" is a short medieval intermezzo, mostly acoustic, which worthily introduces the closer. It breaks the ancient fog that seems to envelop all the previous tracks with delicate, melancholic harmonies.
9. "Warlife" is, in my opinion, the most "alive" track (both textually and musically) of the album and represents "the last ride" of the record. You are immediately transported on the wings of glory, and every most sincere and profound warlike emotion amplifies until it becomes tangible and almost consistent. The song is relentless and will please anyone who remotely appreciates the atmospheres narrated by the band. Magnificent to listen to absolutely, it gains more after a collective listening of the 9 songs that comprise the platter.

Now a small note on the musicians' performance and the production: the musicians are inspired as they should be, and the songwriting already has a well-defined and consolidated formula. The drummer's performance is masterful, resulting visceral and powerful in every beat, every roll, and every break. Deathmaster's very distinctive voice gives the album a first-person narrative interpretation that manages to give a distinctive tone to the band. The performance of the lead guitar is also good, emphasizing the solos that sprinkle the work. Unfortunately, the bass is overshadowed by the nature of the genre and the production. The latter is therefore excellent and boasts a dirty and powerful sound beyond any dream, favoring particularly the excellent drumming and guitar.

For me, "The Eternal Battle" is an excellent album to which I would easily give a 5/5 if not for being consistent with future evaluations of truly superior albums. Difficult to listen to and equally heavy in atmosphere, "The Eternal Battle" is highly recommended to anyone, a metal lover, who can devote time and dedication to it.

ps: Maybe I'm wrong, but the cover represents Iohannes de' Medici in armor from the Italian film "Il mestiere delle armi."