(Progressive Power Metal) [CD] Thaurorod - Upon Haunted Battlefields (Ltd.Ed) - 2010, APE (image+.cue), lossless

Today I received a copy of the latest album by THAUROROD. I have to say it is quite impressive. Yet another Power Metal release for me to wrap my mind around.With an album title like “Upon Haunted Battlefields” you don’t automatically know it’s a Power Metal album. It could just as easily be a Death Metal album. Both genres incorporate war and battle and fighting. Power Metal’s emphasis on battle is mainly about glory and honor whereas Death Metal is about graphic description of bloody violence with a lot of F-bombs and cursing. Power Metal rarely has any curse words and isn’t graphic in its depiction of war. This is as classic as Power Metal gets. You know exactly what you are getting from the first song onward. This is a perfect example of Power Metal. All the required elements are present and accounted for. The vocals are clean. There are plenty of speedy dual guitar solos that show amazing dexterity and talent. There are a couple of bands that come to mind when the dueling guitar theme comes into play; JUDAS PRIEST and SLAYER. Both are famous for the dueling guitars. The question is, does it fit the music? I would have to say it most certainly does. There is also present the classic narrating that brings MANOWAR’s use of Orson Welles to mind as well as RHAPSODY OF FIRE’s use of Sir Christopher Lee. It adds a nice touch to the song “Cursed In The Past”.

The production is quite good when I think of how “classic” this album sounds. I normally think of the 1980’s when I use the term “classic”, and for good reason since that is when Power Metal was born. When you think of a burgeoning new genre of music, quality production isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. I can remember quite clearly how God awful the first initial waves of Death Metal albums were. The first SODOM record sounds terrible. The first DEATH (the band) album sounded like it was recorded in a mobile studio, but THAUROROD has managed to capture its own genre in its infancy while at the same time not capturing the poor sound that one might expect from a whole new style of Metal. It’s a perfect balance. I believe many people will be pleasantly surprised with this album, especially on my favorite song from the album, “Shadows And Rain”.
If you like your Power Metal to sound fresh and new, you won’t get that here as I have already associated the band with the pioneers of the genre. They are not breaking new ground, but sometimes old ground can be good too, as well as it’s done properly as it most certainly is in this case. I find originality to be highly overrated. Originality can oftentimes be associated with the twisting of a genre into a new and sometimes unintended direction. I like stability, and this album is very stable. Do any of you remember the new direction of the “Black Album” by METALLICA? Do you remember how new and fresh “Nothing Else Matters” was, or were you like me and did you throw the album off the highest cliff you could find? That is what can happen when people throw the word “new” around, a complete sell out and loss of integrity and an abandonment of the band’s original fan base.

I would highly recommend this album to fans of early HELLOWEEN, BLIND GAURDIAN and MANOWAR. I know I will be listening to this album for weeks to come.

Review written by Jonathan Maphet for www.metal-temple.com

Pasi Tanskanen Bass
Joonas Pykälä-aho Drums
Emppu Guitars
Emmi Taipale Keyboards
Markku Kuikka Vocals