The Ring Tales from Midgard
Scarlet Records 2004
By Jason Jordan
The Ring needless to say is one of the myriad bands heavily influenced by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. But, its relatively easy to ascertain that fact by gazing at the cover art, or by analyzing the names of their song titles.
In the Beginning is the, uh, beginning of Tales from Midgard. Attractive, melodious guitar parts demand attention from the get-go. The vocals, even though not in the vein of my particular taste, are nothing short of excellent. Often, the vocalist utilizes a harmonious, operatic stance to iterate emotion and attitude. Subtle his vocals are not. Gathering Darkness quickens the pace, but still wields the guitar parts in the same fashion. In other words, the guitar harmonies should suck you into the song. Voices of the Fallen Kings is reminiscent of old-school, 80s metal due to the vocalizations and thundering guitar leads. The 3:20 minute mark ushers in a formidable riff that is seldom paralleled by any of The Rings other material. Into the Wild is a simplistic romp; the pace is slowed while the band delves into softer territory. Unite or Fall is much more driving than the former, and each song at this point commences heavily, dips into soloing, dives into lighter substance, and then climaxes and/or finishes as it began. Halls of Doom is the longest track on the record, clocking in at roughly nine minutes. Signs by the Silver Stream traverses the slower side of the musical spectrum, whereas Halls of Doom openly embraces all tempos and facets the band had utilized elsewhere. The Chase and Last Battle are stereotypical The Ring tracks, and Escape closes the album.
Tales from Midgard, though it has its gripping moments, isnt really strong enough to warrant a purchase. The Ring show promise, but ultimately will need to progress further to fully entice an audience.
7/10
Official The Ring website
Official Scarlet Records website
Scarlet Records 2004
By Jason Jordan
The Ring needless to say is one of the myriad bands heavily influenced by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. But, its relatively easy to ascertain that fact by gazing at the cover art, or by analyzing the names of their song titles.
In the Beginning is the, uh, beginning of Tales from Midgard. Attractive, melodious guitar parts demand attention from the get-go. The vocals, even though not in the vein of my particular taste, are nothing short of excellent. Often, the vocalist utilizes a harmonious, operatic stance to iterate emotion and attitude. Subtle his vocals are not. Gathering Darkness quickens the pace, but still wields the guitar parts in the same fashion. In other words, the guitar harmonies should suck you into the song. Voices of the Fallen Kings is reminiscent of old-school, 80s metal due to the vocalizations and thundering guitar leads. The 3:20 minute mark ushers in a formidable riff that is seldom paralleled by any of The Rings other material. Into the Wild is a simplistic romp; the pace is slowed while the band delves into softer territory. Unite or Fall is much more driving than the former, and each song at this point commences heavily, dips into soloing, dives into lighter substance, and then climaxes and/or finishes as it began. Halls of Doom is the longest track on the record, clocking in at roughly nine minutes. Signs by the Silver Stream traverses the slower side of the musical spectrum, whereas Halls of Doom openly embraces all tempos and facets the band had utilized elsewhere. The Chase and Last Battle are stereotypical The Ring tracks, and Escape closes the album.
Tales from Midgard, though it has its gripping moments, isnt really strong enough to warrant a purchase. The Ring show promise, but ultimately will need to progress further to fully entice an audience.
7/10
Official The Ring website
Official Scarlet Records website
