CNOC AN TURSA
Since the days of ye olde, metal bands haven been plundering the vaults of many a library’s mythology section for their inspiration, and so now it’s the turn of Scotland’s Cnoc An Tursa to ransack their heritage for their material. And it appears that they’ve done a pretty good job of rendering their swag to music. With melodies that draw upon traditional folk songs, Cnoc An Tursa colour their proud heritage with a slew of unremitting riffs and melodious passages that capture the spirit of their homeland. With the folk aspect of their sound pushed to the fore, from the outset this album gallops out of the stables and deep into battle.
While the polished production gives the album’s dynamics a boost and the instrumentation is well balanced, it just sounds too clean, too shiny so to speak, the tracks all bearing a smooth veneer that hinders the full impact of the album. Had this been dirtier then maybe it would have sounded a little more authentic than it does. As far as musicianship goes, there’s little too fault; as a band they’re a tight and focussed unit; but mostly they sound like a metalcore band delivering poetry and history lessons at the same time – albeit very interesting ones. This is a pretty good debut but they’ve got a way to go before they reach the standard set by the likes of label-mates Winterfylleth.
While the polished production gives the album’s dynamics a boost and the instrumentation is well balanced, it just sounds too clean, too shiny so to speak, the tracks all bearing a smooth veneer that hinders the full impact of the album. Had this been dirtier then maybe it would have sounded a little more authentic than it does. As far as musicianship goes, there’s little too fault; as a band they’re a tight and focussed unit; but mostly they sound like a metalcore band delivering poetry and history lessons at the same time – albeit very interesting ones. This is a pretty good debut but they’ve got a way to go before they reach the standard set by the likes of label-mates Winterfylleth.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Candlelight
Album
THE GIANTS OF AULD
Review by Jason Guest
RUNNING TIME:
42:00
RELEASE DATE:
25th Feb 2013
TRACK LISTING
1) The Piper O'Dundee
2) The Lion of Scotland
3) Bannockburn
4) Hail Land of My Fathers
5) Ettrick Forest in November
6) The Spellbound Knight
7) In Shadowland
8) Winter - A Dirge
9) Culloden Moor
10) Blar na h-Eaglaise Brice
2) The Lion of Scotland
3) Bannockburn
4) Hail Land of My Fathers
5) Ettrick Forest in November
6) The Spellbound Knight
7) In Shadowland
8) Winter - A Dirge
9) Culloden Moor
10) Blar na h-Eaglaise Brice
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Scotland
"...Cnoc An Tursa colour their proud heritage with a slew of unremitting riffs and melodious passages that capture the spirit of their homeland."
