I’m not a psychoanalyst or a therapist, nor am I the hybrid of the 2 professions recognized all through the business as an “analrapist,” however that doesn’t preserve me from trying to grasp nearly every part I encounter from a psychological perspective. Take musical style, for example. I normally assume that individuals who love loss of life, thrash, and the extra vicious types of black metallic take care of some unresolved anger points, that followers of sadboi melodeath have unhealed wounds inside their souls, and that those that delve deeply into the avant-garde and dissonant spheres in all probability have monumental quantities of self-hatred and might’t enable themselves to get pleasure from something which may truly be good. Now, as a stereotypical energy metallic enjoyer, I’ve at all times been conscious that the style helps me take care of emotions of insecurity and inadequacy by inserting a sword, hammer, or plasma rifle into my palms and boosting my XP to heroic ranges. Energy metallic makes me really feel like I can deal with something life throws at me, whether or not or not it’s an intimidating DIY undertaking, an undesirable social obligation, or the varied horrors that include being a mother or father. I don’t hearken to the cheesiest of all metals as typically nowadays, but it surely has gotten me by means of some troublesome durations in my life and can at all times maintain a particular place in my coronary heart for that purpose.
Made up of members and former members of Skelator, Greyhawk, Gatekeeper, and Ravenous, Glyph brings collectively a few of my favourite conventional/energy metallic musicians from latest years as they throw their hat into the house fantasy ring. Very a lot channeling Gloryhammer, Glyph reveals shades of Sabaton and Alestorm as they provide up some easy, fashionable energy metallic. Embedded single “Volaråd”—primarily Glyph’s model of Alestorm’s “Drink”—has actually not left my head for weeks now; if I get up to piss at 3am, which I do each evening, this refrain will undoubtedly be enjoying as I accomplish that. Easy, no-frills energy metallic shouldn’t be simple to drag off, however this music is a good instance of Glyph nailing it.
And that simplicity holds true all through the remainder of Honor. Energy. Glory.’s size, ending the day as one of many album’s strengths. So many energy metallic albums go for extreme runtimes, however Glyph has properly chosen to shortly rain hearth from orbit for 36 minutes then warp the heck outta right here, leaving me wanting extra. Easy numbers just like the opening title monitor, “When the World Was Younger,” “Superb,” and “Eldenfire” drop their infectious payloads and let their earworm choruses deal harm over time, whereas fast-hitters like “Defy the Night time” and “A Storm of Crimson Fireplace” deal most DPS like an area barbarian twin-wielding laser flails. However regardless of the velocity, every monitor right here accomplishes its purpose and never a one overstays its welcome.
Honor. Energy. Glory. is so efficient that I’ve little or no to complain about. A few instances the songs really feel slightly too trustworthy to their influences, just like the spoken phrase narration on “March of the Northern Clan” or the wild key solo on “A Storm of Crimson Fireplace”—each of which sound like they got here straight off of a Gloryhammer document. However this can be a minor nitpick, and Glyph’s songcraft and magnificence stand on their very own the overwhelming majority of the time. It was a enjoyable expertise to get to cowl a few of these tracks as a part of the band’s demo after which get to listen to them totally fleshed out right here on the album with a beefier manufacturing. The person performances reveal the depth of the members’ expertise, and all of it comes collectively to kind a remarkably cohesive debut document. And I don’t assume I’m the one one who has been dazzled by Glyph’s expertise because the band is at the moment on tour with Alestorm and Elvenking regardless of their unsigned standing.
Honor. Energy Glory. could not deliver an oz. of innovation to the desk right here, however it’s a satisfying meal nonetheless. Glyph unites a crew of gifted musicians, and the result’s a concise, effectively-executed name to arms that’s been routinely buffing my stats to deal with all of life’s challenges.
Ranking: Very Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self Launch
Web sites: glyphmetal.bandcamp.com | fb.com/glyphmetal | glyphmetal.com
Releases Worldwide: March 29th, 2024