The second album of Chicago's epic heavy metal phalanx, Fer De Lance, is here!
The band's name translates to spearhead, thus expect to be pierced by the archaic prowess of these musicians who have proven before to be a most wonderful example of the genre’s most mystical corner. Combining the melodic, folky, and ancient music of a far-gone time with the heavy metal magic of bands like Atlantean Kodex, Rainbow/Dio, Rotting Christ, and others. Although many might go the route of trying to attain a rawer sound, these warriors of the present opt to capture a superb and clear production that allows their multi-faceted musical triumphs to be truly appreciated in depth. From the swaying riffs and harmonies to the mind-bending guitar solos and potent vocal delivery, Fer de Lance calls forth vast realms of myth and the shades of ancient heroes, illuminated by the fires of molten metal.
Weaving landscapes from notes with such natural ability, fans of epic heavy/power metal with a pronounced doomy flare here and there will be enamored by “Fires on the Mountainside,” a heartily warm yet battle-torn record. What you will find really sets this out from other bands in their niche is the ability to seamlessly incorporate elements of black metal, which enhances the atmosphere and greatly broadens the palette of sounds and feelings on display. Adding the most exciting progressions and combining the immersive and fantastical to masterfully fuse music with storytelling, there is still plenty of heavy metal at the core of this record to keep heads banging while they take you on a colossal adventure of tyrannical palaces, cruel temples, grim altars, black-winged ravens, and fiery revolution.
Expect the band to take you on enthralling adventures that harken back to the epic metal greats, especially of the 90s period, while stamping their own personality and vision clearly onto everything they do. In a world where so much music sounds the same, a band like Fer De Lance takes you to untraversed lands and on conquests bolder than many dare to go. So, the brave amongst you, this is your clarion call!
Recorded, Engineered and Mixed by Matt Russell, Mastering by Arthur Rizk.
Text written by Nattskog
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