Before we begin, I'd would like to start by saying I'm a big fan of the modern classical style of music - especially the produce that Two Steps From Hell has conceived over the last decade. There's something about the epic scale of the orchestra, the swaying sounds of the vocals and the ambition in the tunes themselves that sets them apart from the rest of the crop. Also, contributions from both Thomas Bergersen and Nick Phoenix allow for a variety of sounds and styles. My general preference is to Bergersen, but I will sometimes find myself listening happily to a Phoenix track.
This is a substantial collection of music, of the likes you will struggle to find again. But I suppose, as an anthology, the music is stuff that has already been produced and rereleased in a different format or different method. For instance, the first three tracks are variations of one song, Aesir. In any form is still sounds brilliant, slow and methodical to being with, but as with many of TSFH's music, finishes at an unprecedented crescendo. I prefer the ethnic version though, mainly due to the strong vocals. The orchestral and instrumental are not to be sniffed at though. As I mentioned before, there are a lot of old songs treated to an instrumental touch, and they all sound as good as new. My recommendations include Archangel, To Glory, United We Stand, Divided We Fall & Strength of a Thousand Men. Despite the lack of choral involvement, the music seems almost purer, allowing the instruments to show their true flavour. I can't tell you how much I enjoy listening to 'To Glory', the effect of the drumming is astounding - the best description is an army of horses galloping across a sprawling landscape of mountains. Closing your eyes and letting your imagination take over is possible the best advice I could give you for feeding off this music. There's a decent amount of new content on here as well. Interesting ones include Area 51, which contains far more heavy metal and progressive rock influences. The strength of the guitar is shocking to say the least, but it's unfortunate for me to say that is sounds very out of place in an album like this. While some songs like Tower of Mischief and Destiny Will Wait fall into a musical stupor, Crack in Time and Exodus keep things fresh. Exodus has an excellent beat that seems to give the choir more power when they kick in. Towards the end of the album, we are introduced to more eclectic musical choices, such as Lotus Mother that is most-definitely progressive in sound. To end with The Devil Plays a Smoking Trumpet was a bad decision, mainly because it isn't final enough for the denouement of an album this wide-ranging. Perhaps to end on an instrumental version of an old favourite would have been a better choice, considering the fact the have a meaningful representation of the amazing work that this artist has created over the years. Perhaps relying too much on the old to usher in the new, but there are some hidden gems in this album. Finding your own preference may be difficult due to the variety of styles and arrangements that are squashed together. Nevertheless, this is a satisfying example of how far Two Steps From Hell have come. They are clearly constantly regenerating their sound and genre, this time attempting to integrate progressive rock into their classical pieces. Being a massive prog rock fan myself, this is not shunted aside, but sometimes to doesn't work as well as they might hope. But as a prolonging celebration of the immense work in music, this is a great gift for any fan. 7.5/10
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AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
October 2017
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