Wotan
Epos

Undisputed champions of the second era of epic metal (which began at the start of the 21st century, thanks also to the advent of similar and compatriot bands such as Doomsword, Assedium, and Holy Martyr), the Milanese Wotan presented this astounding Epos in 2007. This work partly softens the warlike ecstasy of the previous Carmina Barbarica, to showcase a more romantic and reasoned character, as well as being more complex and equally more fascinating from an artistic perspective. We are, of course, far from the immediate allure of tracks like Lord of the Wind or Under the Sign of Odin’s Ravens, but it is equally true that after the necessary listens, the depth of the album will fluidly weave into your neurons, revealing its true essence and gradually unveiling all the polished emotions over the sixty minutes of this radiant gem.

Despite the premise, the opener returns to offer the most barbaric Wotan, just as we left them in the previous album: Drink in the Skull of Your Father alternates heavy/speed onslaughts with evocative and paced interludes, while the gallop of The Quest for the Grail makes us relive the myth of the Templars, aided by the glorious and solemn interpretation of singer Vanni Ceni. Delving into the heart of the album, we then discover the more particular and refined compositions, like the pristine Mother Forest, a ballad introduced by a piano solo, performed by a guest of note like Ross the Boss (who is also the author of the guitar solo in the final suite). Excellent also is the reinterpretation of the Irish ballad Foggy Dew, for which using the term “cover” would be inappropriate, as Wotan have transformed it into a massive and convincing epic/doom piece enriched by the enveloping sound of bagpipes (an instrument that nonetheless does not invade the metallic authenticity of the song). Also, of sure impact is La Chanson de Roland, a mammoth fifteen-minute suite, predominantly paced and rocky, where the vehement drumming seems to quote the timpani parts of the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack by Basil Poledouris, as well as unfolding in adrenaline-pumping and chivalric parts, alongside electroacoustic instrumentals oozing with class and melancholy. And just when we think the band has already placed the cherry on top, here come the final ten minutes of Ithaca, a piece inspired by Homeric heritage, or more specifically narrating the return home of Ulysses, the Greek king returning from the Trojan War. Introduced by a raw and powerful mid-tempo, the track then transforms into a concentrate of intense emotions, with an acoustic outro with a saline aftertaste, poetically closing this splendid album.

In all likelihood, Epos will make every epic metal enthusiast on this planet happy. For everyone else, a more cautious approach is suggested: the advice is to first retrieve the masterpieces of historic bands (Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol, Dark Quarterer), in order to learn the foundations of true epic metal, essential for all those novices who will one day dare to lose themselves among the enchanting plots of this extraordinary work of art.

Federico "Dragonstar" Passarella.