The Last Alliance

Just when you thought Battlelore forever lost in the mists of Mirkwood, or any other shady place of their beloved Middle-Earth, they happened to release the work most fantasy-metal enthusiasts who followed them from their beginnings onwards may have been secretly hoping for. Let's recall the story thus far: after a first couple of albums packed with assuredly clumsy, still terribly efficient blends of power metal and melodic death metal bathed in the insouciance of youth, they changed for a slower, less flamboyant style for another couple of more serious, more mature, but also kind of unsatisfactory, outputs. All they then had to do was to combine the best of both worlds to, finally, give birth to their magnum opus. The thing was called The Last Alliance, and was able to boast what was essentially missing in its two ill-fated predecessors: hymns.

Because, to be honest, that's the primary reason why we were listening to that band, and still are. Well, Tolkien fanatics will have another one, and that's the lyrics in case you wondered, but that's a different story. We're certainly not listening to Battlelore for any amazing instrumental performance, as, while the musicians have indeed drastically improved over the years, none of them could ever be considered a master of his/her particular weapon – no, not even Kaisa Jouhki I've praised the fairy voice so many times, seeing I'd take, let's say, Lisa Johansson, any day over her. No, no. What we're listening to Battlelore for, that's these big fat epic keyboards, no matter how synthetic they sound; that's these catchy marching tunes, no matter how pompous they sound; that's these vocalists one-hundred percent into what they're singing/eructing, no matter how theatrical they sound. In other words, we're listening to Battlelore for their trademark heroic boldness, no matter how cheesy it all sounds – because that's good cheese, matured for years in Bilbo Baggins's cellar.

Don't get me wrong though – in spite of a good bag of lively songs, the frantic vibe of the early days hasn't completely returned, couldn't completely return. Not that it was in any way necessary. Again, you're facing the adult Battlelore, and the adult Battlelore, at last assured of its strength, progresses majestically on its mid-tempo power metal / melodeath hybrid riffs (The Great Gathering), and isn't afraid to venture as far as the symphonic black metal territory; on the previous album, We Are the Legions was but a foretaste of the excess yet to come, now they've climbed to the next level with a Voice of the Fallen of grandiloquent Dimmu-Borgirian inspiration – Blastbeats in Battlelore: this oddity cannot be emphasized enough. Still Middle-Earth is a land of contrasts, and immediately after, they go on with the gentle Daughter of the Sun, melancholic ballad where Kaisa Jouhki is queen, reigning over a background of squeaky violin and ominous bass guitar... before even that one starts to harden a bit. No, never has Battlelore appeared so contrasted; and that's for the better.

The two most remarkable tracks are probably the first and the last, monumental gates enclosing the rest of the work, which in turn only rarely pales in comparison. Granted, an unfortunate couple of weaker moments prevent it from reaching the coveted rank of masterpiece, notably the slow lament of Awakening, which could have been easily one large minute shorter, especially by cutting off the puerile narration. No particular sympathy, either, for Exile the Daystar, disappointing second track which sounds too much like a watered-down replica of its impressive predecessor, especially considering the similar keyboard lines. Otherwise, every time it threatens to settle into what would be a comfortable, but lazy routine, it quickly finds a second breath through extra energy and imagination, to eventually conclude on the magnificent The Star of High Hope, of which the raspy lead guitar lurking all throughout isn't the least of the charms.

The advantage of a clear production shouldn't be underestimated, either; after all we're talking about a band with an unusual number of seven people involved, so each of them should be given at least a chance to shine. The more we think about it, its murky tone, too sombre for its own good, might well has been what primarily crippled Evernight, and by contrast (again!), its successor is a solar album – even if the lyrics, mostly revolving around the end of the First Age (no need to explain further, you remember you're reading about Battlelore don't you?), aren't exactly the most optimistic. A good point, too, for the punctual addition of powerful clean male vocals – courtesy of one of the guest vocalists? We'd like to know more – which perfectly complement both Tomi Mykkänen's feral grunts and Kaisa Jouhki's elven melodies; they, more than anything else, and that's including the haunting lead keyboard, make Third Immortal the monster it is, and one can only regret they've not been exploited to their maximum potential in the following songs as well.

"This will be my finest hour", sings the Immortal. The fact this line, perfectly audible and articulated, concludes the opening track, may not be coincidental. Battlelore certainly felt they were preparing something special, that they might not be able to ever reproduce. Many years later, when the time will come for them to record their comeback album The Return of the Shadow, rather than the iconic Sword's Song, they'll chose the sound from The Last Alliance as a starting point to expend upon, and it's, again, not a coincidence the two cover artworks themselves will end up looking so similar. Their finest hour...

Highlights: Third Immortal; The Great Gathering; Guardians; Voice of the Fallen; Epic Dreams; The Star of High Hope.