SACRED BLADE - Of the Sun + Moon Limited Edition

April 2005 - Hellion Records - Review by Sir Lord Doom

This record is legendary, it is a classic and I do not need to lose too many words about it, or do I? Well, probably I should, for a big part of the newly grown headbanger generation will surely not be aware of itÕs existence. Back then in 1986 the band offered progressive metal which had nothing to do with nowadays ãmorse code progmetal" generation. Riffs and harmonies flew into living pieces of music quite naturally, been kept together by haunting vocallines and got the kick through powerful rhythms. The band centered around mastermind Jeff Ulmer celebrated itÕs mystical stuff with dedication, music that could come roaring straight ahead out of your speakers, ornamented with a fine metallic screamy voice or hypnotized the fans with complex and atmospherical songs plus mid ranged, nasal vocals to get them under the spell of the sacred blade. The band executed pace and dynamic changes quite skilled, never made the more accessible side of the music tumble. LetÕs get hypnotized, letÕs get pierced by these songs, follow them note by note and you will never want to return anymore. Those compositions have an enjoyably unleashed aura, an atmosphere like a forthcoming thunderstorm in spring or autumn times, which unloads itself often and willingly into powerful metallic eruptions, where the guitars shoot off wild solos and furious lead melodies, just like in the speedy "Master of the sun". And then you have more rock oriented songs which are based more on their lush melodies than on heavy instrumentation. A lot of things happen on this album, many little details need quite a few spins before they entirely unfold and you will often and gladly spin this record, for you never get tired of listening to it, not even in ten years. You will never get a progressive record without instrumental songs. First comes "The Lunar Windz", with a peaceful, dreamy atmosphere as it was used in the late 60s by many bands, the second one is more driving, more epic with a floating approach, very majestic and yet not a full instrumental track for you can find spoken word passages here and there allover the place. It is simply entitled "Moon", by the way. No currently active band has ever arranged progressive metal better than Sacred Blade, maybe their compatriots Thunder Rider, though they are more anthemic and much straighter. You could also name Hemlock (also fellow Canadians) if they were still there, but dead is dead and not currently active. Well, it is as it is, there might be many bands that have a more perfect sound (of course this album has gotten a digital remastering which you can hear), that go into an even more technical direction and write more complicated songs but they donÕt offer such catchy, inspired compositions, but build up strictly Nun, wie gehabt, es mag viele Bands geben, deren Sound perfekter (wobei dieses Album hier schon digital remastert wurde und man das auch hšrt) ist, die noch technischer zuwerke gehen und die noch vertracktere Strukturen offerieren, aber die schreiben eben nicht solch packende, inspirierte Songs as Sacred Blade are doing it, they just put bulky lines together. Sacred Blade stay unique and only a few bands could ever dare to reach them.

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