By Rich Hobson
Was there ever a marriage more mutually beneficial in metal than that of the symphonic and extreme metal canons? Possessing the epic grandiosity of the former and the sheer aggression and power of the latter, symphonic extreme metal is a subgenre that is truly coming into its own this decade, particularly as more bands appear to be adopting it as a tool in the creation of enormous-sounding records. Which brings us to Meadows End, a Swedish quintet who owe more to the likes of Dimmu Borgir and Amon Amarth than to the usual Nightwish/Within Temptation influences that overwhelm so many other symphonically inclined bands.
Take the demonic theatrics of Dimmu Borgir and marry it to the epic, sweeping guitar charges that typified the Gothenburg sound and you’d be a fair part of the way to describing the effect Meadows End achieve. Never leaning too far one way or the other, the band showcase a harmonious balance of their disparate sonic influences to craft something that feels like it could soundtrack a titanic fantasy battle, the symphonic elements serving to not just bolster the band’s sound, but give it an extra sense of drama befitting a grand epic.
It’s almost inevitable then that ‘The Grand Antiquation’ comes across as a mighty journey more than just a simple collection of songs. Flowing almost seamlessly, it wouldn’t have been surprising if it turned out this record had been drawn up as a concept record a la Amon Amarth’s Jomsviking, possessing a similar sense of sonic storytelling which sets vastly different tones as the record progresses. Opener ‘Devilution’ is all build, like watching the forces of heaven and hell amass on the battlefield before the war begins, where ‘Storm of Perdition’ picks up with a much more bombastic, battle-sounding track. Onwards then to ‘Svept i Sorgeplad’, a more mournful track which doesn’t take away from the aggression of its predecessors so much as change tracks completely to something more emotive.
And so the record goes, continually building and switching up to ensure the listener never truly stays within one sonic realm across ‘The Grand Antiquation’’s eight tracks, throwing new tricks into the bag whenever it looks like we’ve got a handle on exactly what they’ll do next. The one constant throughout is that Meadows End aren’t pulling any punches in communicating their vision; this is a record which goes all-out and doesn’t care for half measures in favour of being an all-out assault on the senses.
Melodic segments of songs are often underpinned by power in other areas – be it the growl of vocalist Johan Brandberg or the powerhouse drumming of Daniel Tiger, there is always something inherently heavy to what the band do. And, why wouldn’t it? Meadows End have their feet firmly planted in the traditions of European extreme metal, so much so that even without the enormity of their symphonic backing the band would still sound utterly crushing and powerful. The deft guitar-work of a track like ‘Non-Dreaming Eye’ is a powerhouse unto itself, but with that little bit of symphonic backing the track is elevated, transcending the forms of extreme metal to become something more masterful altogether.
Meadows End are a fantastic showcase of what can be achieved with a symbiosis of symphonic and extreme metal elements, the craft which goes into each song making it all infinitely more grand and epic than either element could be individually. Key to this seems to be the fantastic dynamics between Robin Mattsson – the maestro behind the orchestrations – and the rest of the band, each instrument blazing bright to show exactly what this band can do. For a full demonstration of this, look no further than ‘The Insignificance of Man’, a watermark moment for the record and the point at which the whole thing reaches its peak – and not a moment too soon.
None of the songs on ‘The Grand Antiquation’ outstay their welcome; the record maintains an average of between four and six minutes throughout, ensuring that each song can be enjoyed in all its glory, but never comes across as the band grandstanding. Instead, what we get is a record which is fully cognisant of its own powers, adhering to the idea that less is more to deliver a stunning and undeniably stirring record which stands exemplar in both extreme and symphonic metal canons.
- ‘The Grand Antiquation’ is released today (Friday March 8). You can get your copy HERE.
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