Masters of ambient fantasy music with metal elements return with their seventh offering, the EP Lost Tales. As the name implies, the two tracks on this album are old recordings deemed too good not to be released by the Austrian duo. Both break the typical Summoning mold by having no guitars or vocals.
First track Arcenstone was originally composed by Silenius for his solo project Mirkwood. No guitars or vocals are present on the song, which is without doubt the most trancy ever released under the Summoning name. While the mood of the music is very close to Summoning, the fact that this was not originally written for the band can be heard. The drums roll in a relaxed, ambient manner, as opposed to the militaristic beat usually associated with their sound. Percussion is even replaced by a distorted oboe-like sound at parts in the song. Like the companion track Saruman, Arcenstone is surpisingly progressive for Summoning, going beyond their typical repetition of a few loops of hypnotic melody, and opting to mix various themes and movements within the song. Among the most moving and immersive songs they've done, Lost Tales is worth buying for this alone.
Saruman is an unreleased track from the Dol Guldur era. Voice samples from the BBC broadcast of Lord of the Rings were added to the song, as with Arcenstone. Drums are more upbeat than one would expect from Dol Guldur. Voice samples are used in a very tasteful way, and the loops add greatly to the weight of the song. Saruman showcases the excellent sense of drama Summoning have at their best, flowing effortlessly into majestic themes just as the listener would want to hear, making them an extremely satisfying experience.
While Lost Tales probably won't attract new listeners, it's an excellent fan service. Those enamoured by their style know what kind of feelings Summoning can invoke with their most powerful songs, and that is certainly applicable to these two gems. After the predictable and drawn out Let Mortal Heroes Sing, it's ironic the freshest music Summoning has released for years comes from their past.
First track Arcenstone was originally composed by Silenius for his solo project Mirkwood. No guitars or vocals are present on the song, which is without doubt the most trancy ever released under the Summoning name. While the mood of the music is very close to Summoning, the fact that this was not originally written for the band can be heard. The drums roll in a relaxed, ambient manner, as opposed to the militaristic beat usually associated with their sound. Percussion is even replaced by a distorted oboe-like sound at parts in the song. Like the companion track Saruman, Arcenstone is surpisingly progressive for Summoning, going beyond their typical repetition of a few loops of hypnotic melody, and opting to mix various themes and movements within the song. Among the most moving and immersive songs they've done, Lost Tales is worth buying for this alone.
Saruman is an unreleased track from the Dol Guldur era. Voice samples from the BBC broadcast of Lord of the Rings were added to the song, as with Arcenstone. Drums are more upbeat than one would expect from Dol Guldur. Voice samples are used in a very tasteful way, and the loops add greatly to the weight of the song. Saruman showcases the excellent sense of drama Summoning have at their best, flowing effortlessly into majestic themes just as the listener would want to hear, making them an extremely satisfying experience.
While Lost Tales probably won't attract new listeners, it's an excellent fan service. Those enamoured by their style know what kind of feelings Summoning can invoke with their most powerful songs, and that is certainly applicable to these two gems. After the predictable and drawn out Let Mortal Heroes Sing, it's ironic the freshest music Summoning has released for years comes from their past.
