The Eternal Battle

The aim of an album such as this is to transport you from a decadent, consumer-driven land into an historical time in which the virtue of valour was respected. In this time, the whole sum of a person’s thoughts would involve how to live out one’s years upon the earth. And how best to live out one’s life in such a way that he would be regarded as an immortal forever afterward.

In the same way, the album is not about music. You can live your life to this album, and that is because it is such an expression. I should talk a little about DoomSword. They do take years to make albums, but the product is always a very heartfelt and a very significant offering. The content always involves historical themes. But it is true that these episodes have shaped all our lives.

The opening track, Varus Battle, is about the defeat of the Romans around AD10 by the forces of Hermann the German (Arminius). The music is heavy, there are all the catchy riffs to make a song a classic. The story is told well, and that’s all you want in a metal song.

The album has vision, it easy to find yourself transported to track 03 without even realizing. ‘Soldier of Fortune’ is a song done in the true epic style, and it has a sing a long quality. It’s basically about being joyful for every battle you can escape alive, and you shouldn’t worry about which cards life deals you.

After this, we turn to fantasy and Elric of Melnibone, but the line between truth and fantasy has been blurred so convincingly that we don’t really care. ‘The Battle at the End of Time’ is a stomping, epic charge that draws you onto its side. The guitar work and drumming are in a wonderful synch here.

‘The Fulminant’ is a lovely song that is probably the most enigmatic on the album. I can tell that it’s a classic and that it has been recorded with a lot of conviction. While not as immediately catchy, it yearns to be understood. It has a part sung in slow tempo that is very beautiful.

The closure of the album is very strong. After a great intro, the song WarLife, seems to tell the story of the first track, ‘Varus Battle’, from a Roman perspective, i.e. we came here to die but have no choice and this is the best way. It is a riveting musical experience.

I hope with earnest heart that they make another DoomSword album very soon because the music here is special!