Anyone who has really taken the time out of their life to hear what the genre of epic metal is all about then they know what I mean when I say that epic metal is a special genre that, like power metal, takes you to worlds of fantasy. Dragons, mythical beasts, epic battles, and tales that only exist elsewhere in novels and movies, this genre is like no other. And DMR Books knows what they’re doing as their brand new compilation album, “Swords of Steel”, is a great anthology of 11 epic metal bands that contain 11 solid tracks that take you to a world of adventure and excitement the likes of which is extremely rare album to come by outside the form of a compilation. Each band has but one track by them on the whole of “Swords of Steel” and each one tells a story of everything that can be contained within the confines of epic metal, and the fact that all of them have a very nice sound to them and not one seems recycled or lacking energy is incredible because the pace is kept high, the fictional/high fantasy theme never goes away, and the awesomeness never wavers. If you have been meaning to check out epic metal but can’t decide a single band to start with, then go with “Swords of Steel” because you have 11 bands to sample from and they all sound awesome! DMR Books have done an excellent job with collecting very exceptional bands together, choosing their (most likely) best tracks, and throwing them together in this compilation that is a reminder that this genre is alive and doing very well.
You can stream “Swords of Steel” in full on Bandcamp here.
Track Listing:
1. Walpyrgus – Cold Cold Ground
2. Hellwell – Eaters of the Dead
3. Bal-sagoth – When Rides the Scion of the Storms
4. Eternal Champion – The Last King of Pictdom
5. Cauldron Born – The Sword’s Lament
6. Solstice – I Am the Hunter
7. Borrowed Time – Of Nymph and Nihil
8. Gatekeeper – Angelus Noctium
9. Demon Bitch – Oaken Guillotine
10. Funeral Circle – Hades Triumphant
11. White Magician – The Pledge: Mad Magic
