Smoulder ‘Dream Quest Ends’
Album Review By Adam McCann
Cruz del Sur Music/Epic Doom/Heavy Metal
Smoulder charged their epic vanguard onto the scene early last year with their frankly stunning debut album ‘Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring’. This album managed to prick and turn the heads of not only the doom metal scene, but also the trad and power metal scene who all raised swords in support. With demand so high, the Canadian band have put out their first EP ‘Dream Quest Ends’ in a bid to tide over fans.
As one would expect, ‘Dream…’ picks up exactly where the debut album left off. Yet, this EP is not loaded full of tracks which didn’t quite make the previous effort; this EP is a fresh attack by Smoulder ready to push forth and conquer new lands. Of course, there are rough cuts here, ‘Sword Woman’, ‘Voyage of the Sunchaser’ and ‘The Queen is Gone’ are all tracks taken from the bands 2018 demo that showcase Smoulder at their most primal and hungry, whilst ‘Cage of Mirrors’ is the best Manilla Road cover this side of Visigoth’s 2015 version of ‘Necropolis’. Yet, it is the first two tracks of new material where this EP excels, it shows that there is plenty of fire still in the Smoulder tank easily appeal to fans of Manilla Road, Eternal Champion and Solitude Aeturnus with its epic doom sound riding on the back of a heavy metal steed.
However, the downside to this EP is that it clocks in at 37 minutes and considering there are albums considerably shorter than this means that at times it can be difficult to regard this release as an EP; yet, these are actually minor quibbles in a release that is actually very good. Therefore, ‘Dream…’ is definitely worth a listen and whilst it might be a release to rush out and buy (for that stick to their debut album), it is a great place to see Smoulder still busy and once again able to acquire their 2018 demo.
Rating : 78/100
MHF Magazine/Adam McCann
