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LEGACY OF BLOOD (2016) - SKILTRON

“Legacy Of Blood” (2016) - Skiltron

Argentinian band created in 2004 and classified in the Folk-power metal category, Skiltron takes its name from the word schiltron with a varied etymology and which designates a kind of human shield (with a defensive or offensive vocation) particularly used during the Scottish wars of independence of the 13th and 14th centuries.
This is one of the very first fusion experiences between metal and Celtic music in South America.
With five members (vocals, guitars, bass, drums and bagpipes), the band produced five albums from 2004 to 2016.
The last opus, Legacy Of Blood, testifies to the band's progress since its first productions: it is a very homogeneous album composed of 8 (short) tracks; the arrangements are quite minimalist, but the bagpipe leads the debates from start to finish, supported by beautiful guitars; the whole compensates - not always enough - for the certain lack of character of the song.

Among the tracks to listen to, I noted The Taste Of Victory (track 5), Rise From Any Grave (track 6) with a finally vitaminized tempo, Sawney Bean Clan (track 7) with interesting singing and a nice groove and All Men Die (track 8) with certain live potential.
This album dedicates a band much more folk metal than power: it still lacks some significant hits even if its tracks are certainly a good basis to shine in festivals of the genre. And the bagpipe is of quality, so...

TUNES OF WAR (1996) - GRAVE DIGGER

“Tunes Of War” (1996) - Grave Digger

German Heavy Metal band formed in 1980, Grave Digger has experienced many changes in line up, name and also some interruptions in this already long career.
The album released in 1996 is entirely dedicated to heroic Scotland. This concept album on the Scottish resistance is a nod to William Wallace (Braveheart) and is the first opus of a medieval trilogy.
The band is obviously tailored for the stage and festivals and therefore a studio listening will be very different from the live feeling!
But since the album is the basis, we can say a few words about it:

- despite the ephemeral presence of a pipe-band on stage and the misleading cover, we will not find traditional instruments here, this is not the purpose of the band and we may regret it given the theme chosen! Certainly two tracks are "gratified" with a bagpipe sound (apart from the intro piece, Scotland The Brave): William Wallace and Rebellion but with a distorted sound and on Rebellion, a famous and warm tune in the heart of every Scottish (Bonny Dundee) simply massacred... What a missed appointment a bit like in the movie Braveheart where the Scottish bagpipe shines by its absence...
- remarkable guitar choruses,
- several boring tracks (where the music goes into the background of the concept).

Among what is available on the net, I have selected: The Brave/Scotland United (track 1) - The Dark Of The Sun (track 3) - The Truth (track 8), mainly for guitars and choruses.

The rest is quite dispensable except perhaps Killing Time (track 10).
In short, a very uneven album, like the lead vocals, but which continues to have a real scenic success. It's up to you to judge.

Folk Metal / Celtic Metal - 2

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