Recent Reviews

December 2024

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

[ More Music Reviews ]


Custard: A Realm Of Tales
Custard - A Realm Of Tales CD Album Review

Custard: A Realm Of Tales

Traditional Heavy/Power Metal
4.0/5.0

Website Facebook Twitter
Pure Steel Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 10.05.2017

Do you know what an oxymoron is? Of course you do. It's a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. For example, there's the juxtaposition of Germany's Custard, a heavy power metal band, and custard, a pudding-like, usually sweetened, mixture made with eggs and milk. Sweet pudding and heavy metal? Doesn't seem to fit. But Custard, in the biz since 1987, returns after a five year absence from their fifth studio with A Realm Of Tales.

Custard Band Photo

Custard

Perhaps the first observation to make of A Realm Of Tales is something of the subject of the songs. From titles such as The Pied Piper, Snow White, or The Little Match Girl, Custard seems to telling tales from Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. Then there's Arabian Night with its Middle Eastern music tones, Bluebeard, the famous pirate, or Custard's own take on the genre, Forged In Fantasy. It's all speculation as we're not provided any information from either the band or the record label.

Yet, to say, musically speaking, Custard stays consistent and constant to their Teutonic melodic heavy and power metal. Brisk pacing gets juxtaposed against subtle moderation. That's to say that the rhythm section is both sturdy and bracing. Twin guitar harmony, the often essential element of NWoBHM inspired metal, plays a necessarily significant part in the Custard formula, whether by brisk riffage or the abundance of bristling solos. In the vocal arrangements, Oliver Strasser has a clean and melodic style, yet while strong, in the mix and mastering his voice sometimes doesn't rise above the music. I once compared him to a cross between Halford and Sammet, and I'll stick with that.

While most of the album is the crush and rush of power metal, some songs deserve some attention. Mentioned earlier, two songs of note are Arabian Nights and The Little Match Girl. In the former the Middle Eastern tone, at the start, is significant to set the musical stage. Unfortunately, Custard doesn't quite allow it to rise any place else in the song with same significance. The Little Match Girl might be the best song here because it's not necessarily a power metal song. No, its more an anthem that turns on lighter guitar lines and a notable layer of synth orchestration.

Suffice to say, as said earlier, with A Realm Of Tales Custard stays consistent and constant to their Teutonic melodic heavy and power metal heritage. If you liked what they've done in the past, you will definitely like this album. You might even find it to be slight step forward in their musical progression. Recommended.



CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

The Bottom Line

With A Realm Of Tales Custard stays consistent and constant to their Teutonic melodic heavy and power metal heritage. If you liked what they've done in the past, you will definitely like this album. Recommended.

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Powell-Payne: Voilá Album Review

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]