Osyron – Kingsbane Deluxe Edition (Remixed/Remastered) Self-Released Release Date: 14/05/2021 Running Time: 72:00 Review by Beth Jones 9.5/10
2020 was one hell of a year, right? But amongst the horror of the global pandemic, some superb things happened. One of these was my discovery of a Prog/Power/Symphonic Metal band from Calgary, Canada, by the name of Osyron. Their “Foundations” album blew me away and was one of my favourite records of that unforgettable year. So, when “Kingsbane”, their new release, landed with us, I was all over it. Now, I say new, but this is actually a remastered and remixed ‘Deluxe Edition’ of their 2017 sophomore album (original recordings were with former drummer Trevor Cobb) and three bonus tracks to add to the original release.
Their music is driven by themes of war, revolution, and patriotism, but not so much in the sense of shiny patriotic heroes, more from the melancholic view of the destruction and horror that these acts invariably bring. This theme was explored brilliantly in the lyrics of “Foundations”, as it is here on this release. But, essentially listening to their journey, as a band, out of order as I am now, it’s interesting to see where their sound started, and how it progressed to the release of “Foundations”.
For me, “Kingsbane” is slightly rawer and more chaotic, which almost makes it feel heavier than “Foundations”. It’s full of thrash rhythms, and crunching riffs, that were still present on their later release, but were more delicately approached. That’s not a bad thing at all, because it shows a progression and honing of their skills, which is commendable. The sound here is still immense and powerful, and the running constant is definitely the Prog elements, which make their sound exciting and unexpected.
Every track on this record is of epic proportion, each having anthemic orchestration, scale, and catchiness, that really draw you into the passion and feeling. Reed Alton’s storytelling is superb throughout, with crisp, clean vocals that capture the essence of the themes. Tonally, he reminds me a little of Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt (‘Burden’ is a track that springs to mind), and, in certain places, Bruce Dickinson. The strong vocals are backed up by the superb musicianship of the rest of the band. The technical prowess, togetherness, and feeling that they deliver as a group is extremely impressive. If you like guitar solos, there’s an abundance of them, too!
They’re also very clever at using rhythms, and particular drumbeats, to emulate the sounds of battlefields. It’s not necessarily obvious at first, but if you listen carefully, you’ll hear it. Check out 10 seconds in to ‘Kingmaker’ in particular, and you’ll see what I mean. This, incidentally, is a stunning track. It’s a little over 10 minutes in length, mostly instrumental, and what would have been the end of the album on it’s original release. What a way to finish an album is all I can say! It’s electrically exciting and ticks all the boxes. Guitar solos – yup, bags of them. Strong rhythms and melodies – you bet. Pace, power, and ferocity – hell yes. Peaks and troughs – all managed perfectly. Emotion – flooded with it! Also, tuba!
A brief word about the bonus tracks, in particular the acoustic rework of ‘Razor’s Wind’. I’m a big old sucker for acoustic anyway, having spent a good while in a folk band. And I actually prefer this acoustic version, because, while the original does start off with similar acoustic sounds, I think the fully acoustic version makes for a more mysterious listen.
All in all, yet another brilliant record from this thrilling band. I’m excited to keep following their progression, to see where they go next.
‘Viper Queen’ (Official Video)
TRACKLISTING: 01. From Ashes 02. To War 03. Razor’s Wind 04. Viper Queen 05. Griefmaker 06. Kingsbane 07. Empire Of Dust 08. Kingmaker 09. Razor’s Wind (Acoustic) (Bonus Track) 10. Griefmaker (Re-recorded) (Bonus Track) 11. Viper Queen (Re-recorded) (Bonus Track)
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Well, what a year, eh? We’ve seen some terrible things happening, and we’ve seen some positives. We’ve also seen some things that are just completely weird and crazy. But through all that has happened in the outside world, terrible, bizarre, or otherwise, one thing has stayed steadfast. The quality of music being released.
In fact, if anything, the standard has taken a massive leap up, and I have been privileged and honoured to hear what is, in my opinion, some of the best music ever laid down. It has been an incredibly difficult job to formulate a list of my favourite, but after some wailing and gnashing of teeth, I’ve got my top ten. So here it is, my ‘crème de la crème’ of this historic year.
10. Vega – Grit Your Teeth (June 2020)
After 3 months of working from home, home schooling, and watching the daily briefings, we all very much needed a feel-good album. Enter classic hard rocker’s, Vega, with their sixth studio album. Riff laden and anthem driven, this upbeat album was the perfect antidote to the Groundhog Day we found ourselves in. I mean, who doesn’t need a bit of classic, 80s/AOR inspired rock in their lives, whatever’s happening outside, right?
As September dawned, things were starting to look slightly more positive. Mainly because the kids went back to school!! This did however mean that I had to leave Wine O’clock until after the school run! But I didn’t mind so much, because I could listen to “Eat, Sleep, Rock” in the car. My little 7-year-old rocker approved of this greatly, and now knows all the words to the opening track, ‘The Story Of Helix’.
If you’ve never experienced Helix, then you need to. Hi-octane classic rock at its best, with an injection of dry humour, from a band who’ve been kicking it for nearly half a century. If you like AC/DC, Alice Cooper, et al, then you need this album in your life.
In March, when things were still pretty normal here in the western world, a talented young band from Newcastle, UK, released their debut album, “Therapy”. Their catchy, alt rock/metal sound is masterfully captured on this album. It has thumping beats, memorable riffs, and super vocals a plenty. They’re a combination of Evanescence, Skunk Anansie, and Paramore, and it’s very good. For such a young band, they really display a great deal of musical skill and talent in this album, with well-constructed songs, that gel well, without needing to overstate anything.
One thing that this year did give use was the truly splendid European Metal Festival Alliance – a virtual festival, which saw some of Europe’s biggest festivals come together to bring the music to us, in the comfort of our own homes! It was a great weekend, which let me discover even more new music! And one of those discoveries was Romanian progressive metal band, White Walls. They were easily my band of the weekend, so discovering their third album was due for release was very exciting.
They mix progressive rhythms, with hard hitting riffs and vocals, and have been compared to the likes of Opeth and Leprous. The album is inspired by the state of the world, exploring the juxtaposition of the grandeur presented by the shiny and glamourous things in life, vs the realities of life. Very fitting for the time we’re living in, and masterfully approached by the band, too.
Nothing says summer better than folk inspired melodic death metal, right? And if you want to fill your boots with grand, orchestrated, all conquering, theatrical metal, then there’s no better way that to do that than with Finnish aficionados, Ensiferum. “Thalassic” is a truly stunning album, centred around the theme of the sea (which they have a fair amount of in Finland, to be honest). It’s full of jiggy, bouncing tunes, epic solos, and catchy melodies, and for me, is the liveliest release of the year. I will wager good money with anyone on the fact that you cannot listen to this album without indulging in a bit of headbanging/dad dancing, even if you’re listening to it through headphones, and everyone around you thinks you’ve finally cracked! Let’s face it, Ensiferum never really make a bad album, but this one has to be one of my favourites.
Freddy Spera is an Italian/Brazilian musician, who some may know as the hugely expressive bass player from Liverpool based band, Novacrow. He’s also an extremely talented multi-instrumentalist, and music producer. His first solo EP, “Temper” was definitely my easter treat this year. I didn’t know what to expect with it, but it only took me a few bars to make up my mind that it was absolutely stunning. It’s mellow, proggy, and in places, a touch on the 90’s indie/grunge side of things. Vocally, it reminded me of a lot of Devin Townsend’s recent releases, which pleased me a great deal, as Devin is a god amongst men in my eyes! I loved this EP so much that it was actually the first one to make it on to my list for releases of the year.
4. Kamelot – I Am The Empire: Live From The 013 (August 2020)
Now we’re getting to the business end of proceedings, and this is where deciding on who got the top spot for my releases of the year got a million times tougher. So, here we go with the top four, who are all separated by the smallest of margins.
August saw the release of an epic live album from American Symphonic Metal giants, Kamelot. I’d never really listened to Kamelot before (I know, I’m a fool – you may all point and laugh) but was completely blown away by this release. “I Am The Empire: Live From The 013” is nearly 100 minutes of extravagant, indulgent, perfection. It brought me pure joy, in the shape of stunningly orchestrated compositions, with grand melodies, both new and classic, encompassing intricate harmonies, powerful rhythms, and insatiable instrumentation that fills every beat with drama and beauty. All this is topped off by the spine-tingling vocals of Tommy Karevik. And if that wasn’t enough, there are guest appearances from the likes of Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Charlotte Wessels (Delain), Elize Ryd (Amaranthe), Lauren Hart (Once Human) and Sascha Paeth (Avantasia, Epica and more)!
Canada has a bit of a habit of producing some kick-ass musicians. And Symphonic Metal band, Osyron, are no exception. “Foundations” theme is a view on Canadian history, spanning topics from the country’s colonization, to the mistreatment and recognition of indigenous tribes, and the country’s participation in global warfare. It’s hard-hitting subject matter, tackled superbly, by a very talented band. There was no doubt in my mind when I heard this album that it would make it high up on my top ten of the year.
Musically, it’s symphonic and proggy in all the right places, and if you like bands such as Nightwish, Symphony X, Dream Theater, Kamelot, and Wintersun, you’re going to like this. But the real masterstroke within this release is the lyrics. They’re superb, tackling difficult subject matter with emotional integrity, and displaying real thought and depth, to create something truly awesome.
Disclaimer – this was actually a re-release because they signed to a label. But it was simply too good not to include. Wilderun are a Melodic Death Metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, who chuck more than a hint of prog, folk, and orchestral elements into the mix, in order to create their sound. “Veil Of Imagination”, their third album, took me to places that most music doesn’t reach. It’s got such a musical intelligence about it, that creates something so beautiful it’s difficult to describe.
The dynamic peaks and troughs of this album are on a vast scale, going from full on, in your face, walls of sound, to subtle and tender solitary piano, and lilting vocals, in the blink of an eye. This is less of an album of individual tracks, and more a classical work of art consisting of many movements to make up a full symphony.
I originally listened to this release back in June, to write the review for it, and instantly had it as my album of the year, without question. They even managed to break maths, by scoring 11/10 from me. Simply superb. No other words are necessary.
So, as I said, for a large portion of the year I thought I had my top album pinned down in the shape of Wilderun. But then “Strangers”, the second album from Israeli progressive metal band, Scardust, happened.
This release made the impossible possible, reducing me to tears with its brilliance, and reducing my scoring system to irrelevant nonsense. It is, without question, a complete masterpiece, which my inferior words do not do justice to. It’s punchy riffs, insane vocals, equally insane solos, and orchestration that would have pleased classical renaissance composers, will, for me, remain unrivalled for a very long time. I can’t remember the last time I heard an album so complete, and so perfect. And it’s been added to the very short list of works that really hit me in the feels every time (Mozart’s Requiem, and Queen’s “Made In Heaven” are the other two).
Music truly is the only universal language. And good music, wherever it sits in terms of genre, is a powerful force for good. And, whatever the future holds, this album will always have a very special place in my heart, because of the way it spoke to me. And, for that reason, it takes my number one spot, by a country mile.
To sum up, in general, this year’s been a crock of shit. But musically, this year has delivered, and then some. And it’s been joyous to have the ability to share my thoughts on this wonderful language with you. To the bands here, and all the others who didn’t make my final cut, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. And to anyone reading this, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, take care, stay strong, and let the music play.
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
Osyron – Foundations SAOL/The Orchard Release Date: 10/07/2020 Running Time: 28:41 Review by Beth Jones 10/10
After a pretty productive bank holiday weekend, Rick decided to hit me up with something new that he thought I would like, as part of my quest to write more reviews. The first of these is our subject here, Canadian Symphonic Metal band, Osyron. Based in Calgary, Alberta, the group see themselves as ‘bridging the gap between traditional European metal and the music of their homegrown contemporaries’.
Starting out in Ontario, they originally went by the name Morbid Theory, releasing two demos (Chaos Breed in 2006 and Harbinger in 2010). The band saw some changes in line-up, scenery, and identity, and, after moving to Alberta in 2012, Osyron was born.
Their upcoming release, “Foundations”, although only 5 tracks in duration, is just about scraping album length, owing to the progressive nature of their compositions and the story that it takes you through. It is a view on Canadian history, spanning topics from the country’s colonization, to the mistreatment and recognition of indigenous tribes, and the country’s participation in global warfare. This hard hitting and melancholy theme is stark from the off.
Starting with dark symphonic chords and the pounding of drums, Osyron take us through colonisation in the first track ‘The Cross’. It’s pounding beats and droning root chords suggest the regimented power of an oppressor, and the helplessness of the indigenous people; ‘They would learn to live like us, Or they would learn to die by the cross.’
The second track ‘Ignite’, tells the story of Canada’s roll in WWI, explored from a Canadian and UK perspective. Again, lyrically, it’s hard hitting. Musically it explores differentiation in rhythm, emulating the chaotic nature of battle, as well as pulsing beats and chanting war cries that suggest the regimented and indoctrinated nature of war. The use of drums here also cleverly suggests the sounds of a battlefield.
A contrast in pace and instrumentation to the first two tracks, ‘Battle of The Thames’, starts acoustically, with just voice and guitar, at a much slower pace, but in keeping with the melancholy that drifts beautifully throughout this record. It has almost a folk, lilting feel, and would not be out of place performed atop a craggy cliff on a Celtic shoreline. Halfway through, we are treated to a far away guitar solo, which almost sounds like a distant violin, adding more to the feeling of a ‘folk’ route. I may be wrong, but I think I can hear a mandolin in there too at some points. This track gathers layered momentum as it progresses, and reaches a climax with an excellent guitar solo, pulling things back from folk, to symphonic metal.
The penultimate track, ‘The Ones Below’, marks a sudden change in pace, starting with a fully loaded groove riff, the sort you would expect from a well-oiled groove metal band. However, this is intertwined with the ethereal sounds of strings. The reason for the more upbeat nature of this track – it is a celebration of the generations past and how their sacrifice is now being recognised. The raising of a glass to the ones below ‘We drink not in our sorrow… For our sisters and brothers’.
However, you still feel that this isn’t enough… That more can be done… A theme that is explored in the final, and title track, on this record. An epic composition and by far my favourite, it’s musically full, symphonic, and heavy in its minor key. For me, lyrically it is the most tortured track on the album. The chorus lines ‘Wild lies, of white crimes, I, can no longer bear…And hear them cry, throughout the night, Why? Have our wrongs taken their rights?’ are very stark, powerful, and thought provoking. And the change up in rhythm towards the end spark thoughts of final painful realisation and desperation to put right wrongs. Very deep and pretty moving.
Musically, this record is symphonic and proggy in all the right places, and if you like bands such as Nightwish, Symphony X, Dream Theater, Kamelot, and Wintersun, you’re going to like this. But in my opinion, the ace card here is the lyrics, and the way that every member of the band has explored and interpreted the subject matter. They all had a hand in writing the tracks, for the first time in their history, and I think that it has really worked very well. I might not have known Osyron before hearing this record, but I definitely intend to get to know them more now.
TRACKLISTING: 1. The Cross 2. Ignite 3. Battle of The Thames 4. The Ones Below 5. Foundations
LINE-UP: Krzysztof Stalmach (Guitar) Cody Anstey (Drums) Bobby Harley (Guitar) Reed (Vocals) Tyler Corbett (Bass)
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
