Gallows End Nemesis Divine
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
Nemesis Divine is the debut full-length from Swedish traditional metal band Gallows End. The band, which was put together by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter/producer Thord Klarstrom, plays a modern, melodic and very polished version of the classic heavy metal sound. They match the spirit of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest with the power and precision of Last Tribe and Circle II Circle.
Once you get past the narrated introduction to “Nemesis Divine (Trial of the Gods)” (from the Bible, no less), it’s like handling a live electrical current. Wicked guitar riffing and thunderous rhythms come blasting from the speakers, followed by Klarstrom’s forceful vocals, all of which let you know right at the start that you’ve unleashed the metal! Gallows End does an amazing job of staying true to the classic metal sound without sounding dated or tongue-in-cheek. That inherently Swedish sense of melody and precision production job certainly help. The background vocals also add to the sense of power on Nemesis Divine, providing added thunder at just the right times.
With monster tracks like “Kingdom of the Damned,” “Storm of Fate” and the 10-minute epic “Riders of the North” (which sounds like something Tyr should have written), Nemesis Divine is just a totally enjoyable, totally rocking, and totally metal album. You hear an album like this and know exactly what the phrase “heavy metal thunder” is all about.
Gallows End is one of the better bands out there that are breathing new life into the classic metal sound (Icarus Witch, Widow, Colossus and Holy Grail are a few others). If you’re a fan of melodic, traditional, heavy metal, you’ll want to hear Nemesis Divine.
PS – The cover art is wicked cool too. It’s probably too nice for the cheap-looking “eco friendly” digipack this album is housed in.
Genre: Traditional Metal
Band:
Thord Klarstrom (v) (g)
Niklas Nord (b) (v)
Peter Samuelsson (g)
Mikael Karlsson (d)
Track Listing:
1. Nemesis Divine (Trial of the Gods)
2. Soul Collector
3. Kingdom of the Damned
4. No Return
5. The Curse
6. Set the World In Flames
7. Not Your Own
8. Different Eyes
9. The End
10. The Unborn Flag
11. Storm of Fate
12. Riders of the North
Label: Farhavar
Website: www.myspace.com/gallowsend
Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10