SERVANTS TO THE TIDE have set sails and are ready to embark for their sophomore journey on the metal shores. The first words that come to my mind, after listening to their new album is evolution, progress and expansion. Without losing the identity that was introduced to the metal audience back in 2021, with their very good and promising self -titled debut album, they are pushing their musical limits further and have evolved as a band, in all aspects concerned. Thus, they were able to grow even better musically, not only as players / musicians and as songwriters but also lyrically and vocally.
Stephan Wehrbein has an imposing, expressive and correct voice. But on this new album, he is presenting a wider vocal range than the debut album and he is experimenting more with his voice, which has grown a lot better and has moved further in quite a remarkable way.
Leonid Rubinstein who is the founder and guitarist of the band, is also the main music composer and lyricist. Lyrically the first album had to do solely with the dynamics of the liquid element and was contemplating almost exclusively about the sea / ocean. In the sophomore album, the lyrics are more versatile and present various subjects in a linear concept: From the Big Bang and the beginning of the Universe, through the first rays of solar light on the newborn planet Earth, to a possible inevitable self-destruct or unavoidable dark future for mankind and, finally, the foreseeable cold death of the universe – the place where even time itself, will eventually die.
Heading to the music itself, the album is moving towards various directions, but under the same optical prism of doom metal. For example, the opening track ‘’With Starlight We Ride’’ is a classic epic heavy/doom metal song, with very hooking riffs / guitars and anthemic soaring melody. The next track ‘’Sunrise in Eden’’ is a beautiful heavy doom song. Some songs like the ‘’Trial’’ for example or ‘’Towards Zero’’, have the ‘’usual’’ duration of a song, while others as ‘’The White Wanderer’’, ‘’If the Stars Should Appear’’ and ‘’Where Time Will Come to Die’’ are bigger in duration, more epic. The album explores also piano melodies or even some folkish elements. All songs entail an incredible and irresistible vibe, with intricate guitar work, where triumphant and dramatic / melancholic emotions interchange mutually.
SERVANTS TO THE TIDE are a tight team of musicians. Katharina Großbongardt on guitar, Sören Reinholdt on bass and Lucas Freise on drums are excellent teammates to the aforementioned members and had evolved remarkably the last three years, into well-crafted musicians, who contribute greatly in a solid and outstanding result.
The guest appearances of David Kuri (FLAME, DEAR FLAME / WRITHEN HILT) with a guest solo on “With Starlight We Ride” and guest solo by Jonas Papmeier (CRAVING) on “The Trial”, are to be highlighted as well.
I believe, that the influences of the band are no secret. ATLANTEAN KODEX has always been a major one, but the listener will also discover elements in the style of WHILE HEAVEN WEPT and of course CANDLEMASS.
The band keeps the ‘’tradition’’, that was presented in their debut, with another carefully chosen – very special artwork, this time created by Timon Kokott, who is a prolific artist, that has produced many artworks, for a lot of metal bands (DARKNESS, CROSS VAULT, TEUTONIC SLAUGHTER, among others).
Let me be clear about one thing here. In contemporary metal, we have a lot of releases on extreme metal or traditional heavy metal. I’d say that epic doom metal or heavy doom metal releases are not so numerous as in other genres. When I speak about doom metal, I mean pure classic doom metal, not stoner nor sludge. I have the impression that, great quality releases of epic heavy / doom metal, like the release SERVANTS TO THE TIDE are presenting once again, have to be highly appreciated and supported by metal fans.
Especially the younger ones, need to get more familiar with this excellent and legendary genre. 2024 has been a very prolific year so far, with new releases from SCALD, VENDEL, CRYPT SERMON, MOUNTAIN THRONE and now SERVANTS TO THE TIDE. Go out there and show some love to Epic Doom Metal, that is being offered this year to you all.
‘’Where Time Will Come To Die’’ will be released on 19th of July 2024, by No Remorse Records and will be available on LP and CD.
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Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
