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NorthTale: Eternal Flame
NorthTale - Eternal Flame Album Art

NorthTale: Eternal Flame

Melodic/Heavy/Power Metal
3.5/5.0

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Nuclear Blast
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 10.11.2021 | Released: 12.11.2021

Quite the fan of power metal, NorthTale is the creation of Brazilian-American guitarist Bill Hudson. The versatile musician has extensive experience within the genre with Circle II Circle, Cellador, Jon Oliva's Pain, Power Quest, among many others. NorthTale dropped their first album, Welcome To Paradise a mere two years ago. Hudson and band return for their sophomore effort, Eternal Flame, once more with the same personnel, excepting the lead vocalist. Hailing from Hudson's hometown of Sao Paulo, singer Guilherme Hirose (Traumer) approached the guitarist in a personal message, essentially pleading for a chance to be a part of NorthTale. Hudson relented and admits he was impressed with the fellow's talent.

NorthTale - Click For Larger Image

NorthTale

While the power metal genre is often dismissed by many, fans of the same will likely droll over Eternal Flame. The album is a power metal fans and wet dream: fast, heavy, immensely bombastic, and blistering with killer guitar solos. Throw in soaring melodic vocals and a layering of keyboards for ambience, accent, and symphonic grandeur, and the formula is complete. However, excepting a few songs, the album has the one thing that gets power metal critics panties in a twist: it's remarkably redundant in parts. I'm not trying to be dismissive here, just honest. I'm a power metal fan.

But, to this fan, the strength of Eternal Flame comes down to four, perhaps, five songs: four original songs and one Iron Maiden cover. The former are Only Human, King Of Your Illusion, Wings Of Salvation, and Future Calls. Wherein the latter two are the best as they turn on more complex arrangements that remind of progressive power metal. The Iron Maiden cover is Judas Be My Guide from Fear Of The Dark which is fast, heavy, and intense. A honorable mention goes to the eleven minute symphonic anthem Nature's Revenge with it's middle breakdown and classical piano. But the middle of the album, from Eternal Flame through Ride The Storm, when distilled down to its fundamental elements, is merely typical power metal: fast, heavy, and leading to a guitar solo. If you're keeping score I picked five out of twelve songs.

Nevertheless, as I said earlier, for the love of classic power metal, NorthTale and Eternal Flame are the real deal, and fans of the genre should both dig it and buy it. Recommended.




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The Take Away

For the love of classic power metal, NorthTale and Eternal Flame are the real deal, and fans of the genre should both dig it and buy it. Recommended.

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