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[ More Music Reviews ]

Pulver: Kings Under The Sand

Traditional Heavy Metal

4.0/5.0

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Gates Of Hell Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 01.05.2019 | Released: 10.05.2019

Pulver is a young heavy metal act from Germany. Formed a mere three years ago, the band dropped a self-titled three song EP, which featured the introduction of their band mascot, Phantom Hawk. On the strength of that short EP, Pulver caught the attention of Gates Of Hell Records who signed them to release their first full-length album, Kings Under The Sand, wherein Phantom Hawk, alien tribe, enslaves ancient Egypt.

Pulver

After a short guitar intro, Pulver wastes not time introducing you to their traditional heavy metal. Suggesting bands such as Iron Maiden, Tank, and maybe some Candlemass, Pulver offers listeners their New Wave of British Heavy Metal twisted with heavy rock groove. They fancy the crucial elements of the genre: twin guitar harmony, soaring leads, a heavy steady rhythm section for gallop and groove, and clean melodic vocals. Indeed, the combination of riffs and rhythm section can give their sound and songs a mixture of musical feelings from classic metal to epic metal to slight doomish qualities.

For a selection of the eight songs, you'll find a mixture of heavy power metal with Phantom Hawk and Kings Under The Sun, both relying upon a strong measure of twin guitar work. Blacksmith's Lament is more heavy steady metal with a dark foreboding feeling, even while sharp guitars fire up the tune. With the instrumental Alpha Omega, the twin guitar opening echoes the strains of classic music before jumping into some speedy guitar driven metal. Curse Of The Pharaoh, the closing number, has some crushing riffs fitted with some doomish heaviness in a steady pace, while offering plenty of twin guitar solos. All in all, for traditional heavy metal, perhaps with some epic and doom metal character, Pulver's Kings Under The Sand is spot on target. Check them out. Recommended.

Steel Prophet: The God Machine

Power Metal

4.0/5.0

The last we heard from American metal band Steel Prophet was 2014's Omniscient. The band formed and lead by guitarist Steve Kachinsky returns to form with the ... [ Read More ]

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

All in all, for some traditional heavy metal, perhaps with some epic and doom metal character, Pulver's Kings Under The Sand is spot on target. Check them out. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

We have to dig deep, three decades, to find the origins of Atlantic, a project of songwriter, musician, and producer Simon Harrison (then Stranger, Wisht). Initially thought to be a one-off recording, Harrison ... [ Read More ]