Realm of the Tormentör

If its genial Facebook pictures are of any indication, England's Dream Tröll has a marked effect on surrounding scene, up Leeds way. Also, the West Yorkshire quartet, which features its third vocalist in as many full-lengths (with solely Paul Walsh making plural contributions), has recently eluded our radar, here at the Archives.

Released about a year ago under no other label than its own whirly and attributive "fantasy power metal" merit, and comprised of six hefty, root returning songs highly on par with past celebratory doozies, 2017's exultant The Knight Of Rebellion and equally perfecto-mondo The Witch's Curse EP, from 2018, Realm Of The Tormentor sounds like the rolling tröll's best output since its flashy, spellbinding entrance. Newcomer Ash Elliott's wholly clear and concise, upper elevated, mantric chants immutably fit his bandmates' winning dream-cast formula, as well as knack for enthralling musical kinship.

On guitar, Matt Baldwinson keeps things light but bumptuous, alongside bassist Paul Thornton and drummer Simon Blakelock - an energized battery whose knockabout fills, conjoined with ineluctably poised synths, lends the band its very own genre categorization, as rarely, if ever, will you hear such smoothly riffed and kinetically upbeat rhythms. Leads are conservatively deployed, yet fresh and colorful, as on "She Got The Devil Inside", sounding as it does, strictly in name, to something by say, The Cult or INXS. Token "wow!" factor is inherent right off this festive esbat thanks to swirled opening keys of "The Tormentor", a lofty, The Knight Of Reb and Witch Curse reminiscent Candyland plumper, complete with other-worldly synthesizer solo witch, sorry, which leaves no room for hesitancy. Thus, full-on, duck-like pool party immersion is imminent!

Starting on a big-time high, things instantly hint of elevated tidings compared to 2019 sleeper Second To None (which even humble cloth Sisters enjoy). Next, "Winner Takes Nothing" and "Here Comes Chaos" crank up the hex factor, their playful finger twitching madness taking on uncharacteristically hard-driven power and force, with former possessing a smoky and late 80s, Southern US feel until reverent reversal to whimsical form, along with gunning bridge breakdown accompanied by super dizzying and symbiotic guitar/synth solos.

Its latter companion quickly climbs the ladder to lucratively fast-lived goom-ba romps and stomps, with a choo-choo train-ish palm muted riff allowing further choral fun for the entire happy family, whilst closing pair, "Watch It Burn" - an introductory doppelganger to mid school Pentagram's "Relentless", ahead of cathartic liberation - and "'Death Rains From the Sky" (not "above, in 1979" or other nonsense), offers more of the same, liquid lightning satisfaction. Again, the British Dreamers' keyboard control and restrain are a far, feather un-ruffling cry from those encountered amidst so many over-indulgent, synth reliant power metal acts. Therefore, shame on me for not touching base, sooneth!