Summoning
Oath Bound

THE REVIEW

Hello to all DeBaserians! I am about to write my first review.

The album I’m about to review is the latest from the Black Metal Band Summoning.

After five years since their last album "Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame". The album opens with "Bauglir", a simple intro, but one that evokes, with its drums and flute and the choirs towards the end, Tolkien-esque landscapes, so dear to Summoning, and as an intro, it is promising. And now comes the first Masterpiece of the album. "Cross The Screaming Tide" is also very evocative, with a sharp initial guitar riff, and then Silenius appears vocally, with a growl that is not predominant as it is in many Black Metal bands. The drums go at "marching pace" and the song transports us to a fantastic world. Then another sharp riff disrupts the previously uninterrupted rhythm, and yet another follows, with Silenius giving a really good vocal performance, and the atmosphere created by the two is beautiful.

Next is "Mirdautas Vras", and the drum intro creates a battle-like atmosphere, and Silenius on vocals gives yet another great vocal performance, a really beautiful song with an atmosphere that becomes increasingly epic. Once "Mirdautas Vras" is finished, an almost icy riff opens "Might And Glory", also accompanied by a keyboard. Another splendid track, and Summoning once again proves their ability to create fear-inducing fantasy atmospheres!

"Beleriand" opens with intermittent drums (sorry, but I don’t know the technical jargon very well :D). This song is also very atmospheric, with yet another great vocal performance by Silenius. We then move on to "Northward", which starts with a slow drumbeat, a very sharp guitar riff, and once again Silenius delivers an excellent growl. However, honestly, this song excites me less than the others, even though it too is very evocative. The same goes for "Menegroth", but they both remain highly valid songs. Thus comes the last song, for me the Masterpiece of the CD alongside "Across The Screaming Tide". I’m talking about "Land Of Dead", an almost moving song, starting with a beautiful piano, which is then joined by a flute and a measured drum, and once again, with a vocal performance this time above others, by Silenius. A very sweet flute accompanies almost the entire song, along with consistently excellent measured drums. Thus concludes the last (Master)piece by Summoning.

Conclusions: in my opinion the absolute Masterpiece by Summoning, an exciting, evocative, and atmospheric album. If you like the band or the genre, you must have this CD!

I hope I was comprehensive enough in writing my first review here, until the next review!