ALBUM REVIEW: December – StormbounD
You would never have guessed that Israeli symphonic metal group STORMBOUND are just about to release their debut album. With almost 100,000 views on YouTube already under their belt, it is evidently clear that this band is one to watch. Consequently, they have well and truly made their mark as one of Israel’s most promising new acts, previously appearing at various major music events and festivals in the country. As a predecessor to the release of their debut album December, STORMBOUND have given us a teaser of what’s to come with four promotional singles Childs Play, Flying High, Desert’s Roar and Altar Of Innocence this year alone, with music videos released for the last two.
It really seems as though STORMBOUND are more than ready to give us a varied set of emotions with this body of work, ranging from youthful and hopeful to feelings of pure loneliness. Debut track Desert’s Roar starts the album off on the right foot, with the theatrical nature throughout just leaving us feeling mesmerised. From beginning to end, the song is almost hypnotic, captivating you with every word. When the song strikes you with its NIGHTWISH style instrumentals, you are instantly hooked from the get-go.
Altar Of Innocence is another musical masterpiece, with the religious themes being imminent from the very start. The thundering metal riffs blast through your veins, subsequently making you hang onto every single word. It is safe to say at this point that if they created a metal musical we would be first in line to see it. Sacred Lies is hard-hitting and impactful from the offset, with their progressive metal roots really shining through. This is undoubtedly the heaviest track on the release so far, with STORMBOUND perfectly combining beautiful symphonic melodies and raw, sometimes aggressive vocals to create something truly sensational. In Away From Here, lead vocalist Yael Horwitz proves to be unstoppable with her operatic yet sultry voice taking this track to new heights. It develops wonderfully from a tear-jerking, emotional ballad to a truly iconic symphonic metal song. At this point it is so hard to believe that STORMBOUND are not older than their years; their striking sound is just so infectious and slick.
The introduction to December is perfectly haunting, leaving you feeling intrigued at what’s to come. As with all the other songs on this album, it is most certainly not a disappointment by any means. This song is varied to say the least, with the harmonisation in the chorus sounding like a metal version of ABBA. Holding the top spot for the longest track on the album at ten and a half minutes, it tells you a plentiful story from beginning to end with a sense of real awe at the forefront. Shadows is another distinctive ballad, with the string segments sounding like something from an APOCALYPTICA album. You can truly perceive the essence of Horwitz‘s true emotions here – overall an undeniably beautiful song.
With the track Flying High, STORMBOUND surprisingly experiment with different genres including folk metal as well as the use of synthesizers. The FAUN inspired melodies, integrated with arena ready booming guitars make this song a real winner in our eyes. Fragments introduces us to some almost Bollywood inspired metal sounds, similar to that of BLOODYWOOD but a lot calmer in nature. It is very different in comparison to the rest of the release, as it is mostly instrumental but it’s most certainly a pleasant change. Child’s Play is the final track and it carries on with the creepy themes heard in December. This song proves how awe-inspiring the vocalist’s harmonies really are, with not a negative element up for discussion. This is a truly spectacular ending to such an incredible album.
STORMBOUND have more than proved their worth with this debut release, with the album taking you on the most wild journey. Whilst they clearly know the sound that works in their best interests, it is certainly admirable that they are willing to explore new genres and try something a little different. It is just astonishing that this band are fairly new in the game, as you would have thought they would have been around for decades with the sheer quality of work they are producing at this stage in their musical career. This album is remarkably contrasting in comparison to music of a similar vein, showing that STORMBOUND know exactly what they are doing and they do it so well.
Rating: 9/10
December is set for release on August 5th via self-release.
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