Shatterheart – Ground Turns To Dust

Shatterheart
Ground Turns To Dust
Out: May 30^th, 2025
Playing time: 13:15

A large number of metal bands hail from Sweden. Gothenburg, the country’s second largest city, is a Metal hotspot. And the number is constantly growing. The Symphonic / Power Metal band Shatterheart, which was only founded in 2024, is brand new to the business. The debut EP ‘Ground Turns To Dust’ with three songs was released in May this year.

The (almost) band-titled song ‘A Shattered Heart’ opens the EP. A video clip was also made for it. Right from the start, the Swedes clearly show where they are going. Hard, punchy Power Metal, in which the keyboard tapestries provide a touch of Symphonic Metal. The sound is pleasingly fresh. The riffs dominate, driven by bass and drums. But the voice of Alicke Kostopoulou is enthroned above everything else. The name suggests that she is of Greek descent. And many outstanding female singers come from Greece. Alicke is no exception. ‘No Rest’ starts with a calm keyboard introduction, which is followed by bombastic choruses. The now somewhat deeper vocals are initially accompanied by piano sounds. Even though the rhythm section kicks in powerfully later on, the song seems somewhat slowed down in comparison to its predecessor. Shatterheart thus demonstrate a sound variety and a great deal of musical and compositional skill. This also applies to the strong guitar solo. The title track “Ground Turns To Dust” brings the album to an end. After an operatic intro, the drums boom and the guitar riffs provide an intense heaviness. The song is a kind of musical summary of what has gone before. At times, the keys come to the fore a little more. And Alicke Kostopoulou shows off her impressive vocal skills.

It is pleasant to listen to Symphonic Power Metal, where the emphasis really is on the word ‘Power’. The keyboards are mostly discreet and are used in a song-orientated manner. And above all, we don’t hear any operatic singing with a high soprano voice. Although the singer can also sing soprano, she obviously feels most at home with the powerful middle tones. Fans of Epica, early Nightwish or Delain should definitely give this EP a listen.

Shatterheart – A Shattered Heart: https://youtu.be/Ew1BcPrbcq8?si=l9Aj5_HFHaWEsibO

Lineup:

Johan Bergman – Guitars
Alicke Kostopoulou – Vocals
Olle Bengtsson – Drums
Jonathan Strand – Bass
Daniel Lyngsaa Larsson – Keyboards

Track list:

• A Shattered Heart
• No Rest
• Ground Turns To Dust