ALBUM REVIEW: Bloodbound – Field Of Swords – Napalm Records

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If Metal – Power Metal, especially – can be relied upon for one thing, it’s headbanging history lessons. Teaching you the things school either thought unimportant or simply didn’t have the time for, Metal wants you to learn about the past rather than rewrite or forget about it. While teachers drone on incessantly about crop rotation in the 14th century, bands like Sweden’s Bloodbound take you onto blood-soaked fields of battle. On their previous record with Vikings, and now on eleventh full length studio release, Field Of Swords (Napalm Records) into the middle ages and the time of the crusades.

[Photo Credit: Björn Liljegrääs]

This post-1066 world begins with hammer-ons, dramatic power chords and the mightiest of pick scrapes which all lead into the robust title track. A call to arms bursting with fast-paced chugs courtesy of brothers Tomas and Henrik Olsson while frontman Patrik J. Selleby‘s voice soars on the song’s dynamic chorus.

 

Virtually every song is a chest-beating anthem of driving riffs and razor sharp, exquisitely performed melodic guitar solos. Proudly displaying their influences, the glory and sacrifice of “As Empires Fall” reverberates with more than an echo of Helloween, while the fiery blast of “Light The Sky” recalls fellow Swedes Hammerfall at their finest.

 

Opening with sparkling keyboard action from Fredrik Bergh, “Defenders Of Jerusalem” is propelled forward by four-stringer Anders Broman, his pulsing basslines lying at the heart of this uptempo cut along with another great vocal performance from Selleby. Aided by flautist Vera Bieber, “The Code Of Warriors” is another uptempo cut while the true Metal gallop of “Land Of The Brave” and the Celtic shades of “Teutonic Knights” both possess a slightly darker edge.

 

“Forged In Iron” takes certain cues from early Dragonforce while “Pain And Glory” boasts more Celtic hooks and “Born To Be King” sounds exactly as you’d expect with another irresistible chorus and more Hammerfall worship. Weighty finale “The Nine Crusades” features a guest appearance from Brittney Slayes of Canadian Power Metallers Unleash The Archers and closes the album perfectly with another rousing chorus while Broman and drummer Daniel Hansfeldt drive the song with slow, methodical intent.

 

Whether its glorious, uplifting anthems or songs draped in the black veil of tragedy, every track on  Field Of Swords hits its mark with unerring accuracy. The performances are all on point, every track is a banger, and every school needs to change its history syllabus to incorporate at least one European Power Metal album per term.

 

Buy the album here:
https://lnk.to/BloodboundFieldofSwords

 

8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK
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