After almost four years, Serbian NWOTHM mainstay CLAYMOREAN are back! After 3 live records and a compilation album, CLAYMOREAN returned to the studio, and now unleash upon the world the Eternal Curse!
Golden Core Records’ vinyl version of the album, that was used for this here review, clocks in at a compact 8 songs and almost 44 minutes of no – nonsense straight up heavy metal. The album, though not very guitar – heavy, offers stellar riffing, especially during the galloping By This Sword We Rule single.
The band intertwines mid- tempo tracks with more aggressive options, like the title track Eternal Curse, making for a listening experience that doesn’t let the album get stale. The album concludes with the nearly ten minute Bannockburn, a choice that stylistically makes a lot of sense.
For yours truly, two things jumped out at me during my listening sessions for this review.
Firstly, the doomy, epic track Battle Born feels like the very best CLAYMOREAN has to offer. The song oozes atmosphere and mystique, and really takes the listener on a journey. I’d love to see more of this, it’s an excellent part of an already perfectly good whole.
Second, Dejana’s vocals remain outstanding. Both in parts where she sounds gruff and violent, as well as her cleaner singing and screams, all are fantastic and full of character. CLAYMOREAN have been the spearhead in female – fronted traditional heavy metal and their powerhouse of a vocalist is a prime reason for their continued success. 
All in all, this album is what you’d expect from an established act like CLAYMOREAN. It’s consistent, fun, and a perfectly good performance within the confines of its genre. It does not break any barriers, but I doubt that’s what the band set out to do in the first place. It’s plain old good heavy metal for the soul. And it works!
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Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
