Swords, epic battles and metal. It’s a combination that has been there since their beginning. And for good reason. It just works so well. It’s an escape to a highly visual and epic escape from reality where everything is dialed up way past eleven.
High Command take this concept even further on their second album, Eclipse of the Dual Moons with more epic and killer thrash tunes about sorcery, battles and plenty of bloodshed. You can clearly feel the heavy Bay Area thrash influence throughout the album but don’t let that fool you. High Command are not a “retro thrash” group. Instead the band uses this influence as merely a template to craft some cool tunes.
The title-track quickly fires that album into a high-octane banger with frenzied riffs and viscous vocals.Vocalist Kevin Fitzgearld’s vocals are like a cross between Possessed and Obituary giving the music an instant heavier presence. ‘Immortal Saveragery’ continues to fuel the anger and aggression with a few more mid tempo paces with some excellent thick and chunky riffing perfectly paced to bang your head to. ‘Imposing Hammers of Cold Sorcery’ starts off slowly and builds into a march to war. High Command shows plenty of versatility here adding plenty of layers to their sound on this seven-minute plus track. As the song continues and begins to pick up speed and ferocity. This is a battle High Command intends to win.
High Command do an excellent job of incorporating some doom and almost proggy moments throughout the album. ‘Fortified by Bloodshed’ is a good example of High Command slowing the pace down but still pumping out plenty of heavy riffs. All of this while still doing a great job of taking the listening through an epic battle of clashing swords and violence.
Have you ever sat and looked over your old Manowar album covers and wondered what it would sound like if it wasn’t so over the top and cheesy? (No knock at Manowar, I love them for what they are) High Command takes the listener on a true ride into battle with plenty of fire, anger and fury.
Buy the album here:
https://highcommandsl.bandcamp.com/album/eclipse-of-the-dual-moons
7 / 10
ANDREW RISCH