Triumphant is a brand new band (more or less) from Austria. They've been appearing under a couple of monikers over the years but without releasing a full-length album. But 2014 saw the release of Herald the Unsung, which is a fantastic and diverse record, so we got a lot of ground to cover here!
Before digging into the record, I would like to bring up why I simply love this band. They don't restrict themselves to one genre and then stay inside that box, whether it's thrash metal or black metal. The band themselves refer to their genre as evil metal, and that fits the record quite well. You will hear the smashing influences from thrash metal, with the atmosphere and riffing from black metal. If you want a perfect example of that, then listen to the song Devotion. You'll also get a chunk of the 80's thrown into your face, all delivered with a great and diverse vocal. However it's still hard to pin down the overall sound of this record. Triumphant is a versatile band, they explore and mix everything they love about metal. And that's what makes this band so fresh and exciting! It's something you have to hear and explore yourself. Don't judge the record on just one track, but go through the whole thing, as I said, these guys love to mix everything they love about metal.
I guess it won't surprise you when I say the production this album is crisp and it brings forth the best aspects of the record. It fits the atmosphere and the hard hitting moments perfectly, and I really don't have many griefs when it comes to the production. The only thing is the rapid fadeout on the last track, Triumphant. Staying on that subject, it is actually one of the best, if not the best song off the album. The song will take you straight back to the 80's with its out of mind guitar harmonies, which simply sound outstanding. However the band put their own touch onto the 80's style with this song, as lead singer Bekim Leatherdemon's vocals varies from the black/thrash oriented vocal style to a clean vocal. But does it sound good? Yes, it sounds amazing, and I didn't really notice it because it seems so natural and fits the song perfect. And it only adds to the possibilities Triumphant has making music. Returning to the sound, every instrument is moulded well together in an old school way, so it doesn't sound too modern, and yet it doesn't sound too raw and unproduced either. The two introduction tracks, Triumfator and Nightfall are filled with great atmosphere and add a lot of depth to the record, plus they each lead up to a great track. To sum it up a bit, this album has been put together perfectly.
From the beginning and till the harmonic end of this album, it's and amazing experience. The three winners on the album is Life Under the Inverted Cross, Devotion and Triumphant. In a time where you can record a full-length album in your bedroom and countless bands keep popping up, it's hard to set yourself apart. That is something a lot of bands fails to do, but Triumphant is not one of those bands. With their self-proclaimed "evil metal" they set their music apart, and I'm excited to see what the future brings from this band. Herald the Unsung is definitely a strong contender for one of the best albums of 2014. So if you're in for a batch of evil metal, then I suggest you get your hands on this masterpiece!
Follow Triumphant on Facebook and get a taste of this album on their Bandcamp profile.
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