20th album from US Prog band - Part II of their Skallagrim trilogy. Recommended! Format: CD / Cat No: SR4628 / Released: 15/10/2021
Track Listing: 1. He's Got a Girl (1:02) / 2. Anthem to Andorath (4:37) / 3. Sellsword (6:08) / 4. Steel (7:27) / 5. A Spell Upon His Mind (4:03) / 6. Moon Pool (4:01) / 7. The Dark (2:41) / 8. The Ogre of Archon (6:11) / 9. Into the Breach (7:58) / 10. The Forlorn Hope (7:57) / 11. The Writing on the Wall (6:59) / 12. Hyperborea (9:43) / 13. Bright Sword (1:32)
More information: The album continues the tale of the thief with the screaming sword, a “desperate man” who lost his lover and his memory.
“It’s over the top, and meant to be,” comments Glass Hammer’s Steve Babb. “But it’s relevant as well,” he continues. “There’s always a deeper story hidden within every concept album we’ve ever done. This one is no different.”
“But the story should never overwhelm the music,” he explains. “Though like a good movie or novel, these albums have an arc. Fans thought the last album was our heaviest, and loved the new direction. Well, our 2021 release is going to make them super happy! Heavier than the last, it’s far more hammer than glass,” he muses.
Like Dreaming City, the insert has the look and feel of a vintage fantasy novel, complete with excerpts from the story and illustrations.
Lead vocalist, Hannah Pryor, joins with Steve Babb, Fred Schendel, Aaron Raulston and Glass Hammer session guitarists, Reese Boyd and Brian Brewer in a seventy-five minute onslaught of heavy prog.
Line-up: Steve Babb - keyboards, bass, vocals / Fred Schendel - keyboards, guitars, vocals / Aaron Raulston - drums / Hannah Pryor - vocals / Guests: Brian Brewer - guitar / Reece Boyd - guitar
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