By SonataFanatica (Ayreon Board member, thanks buddy!)
Warbringer: Warbringer (Demo)
Sometimes one has to give CDs or bands a second chance. In that flood of new
releases that I get, there was the demo of the Italians Warbringer, who - the
name already sais it all - is to be put in the Epic Metal-category. But when I
listened to the CD there was nothing but boredom to be discovered. Then I moved
to another place and the CD disapeared strangely.
But - call it fate or coincidence - Warbringers debut literally fell before my
feet and begged me to play it. A word and a blow - today I find the band much
better than I did before - they're actually really good indeed! Of course it is
a long road until you're Epic-Heroes like DoomSword or even Manilla Road, but
Warbringer already do many things right.
The intro is a quote from "Conan" and songtitles like "Bringer Of War", "Rowena"
or "The Curse Of The White Wolf" lead to one definite conclusion: this is where
Metal is lived and loved. Of course, people who rather focus on the quality of
the production will wrinkle their noses (go ahead and listen to your brightly
polished stuff, guys!) because strictly speaking Warbringer don't sound better
than the last Manilla-Road-sound-catastrophes. But that's how it sounds like
when you go into the studio, plug in the instruments and record it all without a
computerprogram.
Warbringer do have the ability to write good songs; they prove that with the
Epic-Crusher "Rowena" that is interspersed with beautiful acoustic passages, or
the varied "Whispers" which goes full throttle towards the end.
Fans of Cirith Ungol, the already mentioned Manilla Road and very old Manowar,
who also like the atmosphere of the first Sacred Steel-album or different other
underground-acts should have loads of fun with this release, which I got as a
CDR plus color-copied cover.