As (Black) Metal ‘fan’, one might recognize the name Admetos from the Greek projects Elegos (Epic Symphonic Black Metal; all instruments) or Faunus (solo; melancholic Doom-laden Atmospheric Black Metal). Admetos, however, also runs a non-Metal outfit, called Anglachel. It’s a productive project, inspired by Tolkien and this author’s immense imaginative worlds.
Many Tolkien-based bands and projects are especially inspired by the Lord Of The Rings or The Hobbit sagas. Anglachel, however, seeks inspiration within the whole Middle Earth (hi)story. The name ‘Anglachel’, for instance, was the name for the sword handled by Turin Turambar, who killed the dragon Glaurung with this sword (renamed as Gurthang afterwards). About all former works of Anglachel do refer to books like The Silmarillion, The Children Of Hurin or The Fall Of Gondolin. As a possessed Tolkien-fan myself, I cannot but appreciate this approach.
Anyway, it was my Cypriot friend behind Idylls Of The Last King who sort of introduced this Greek outfit to me (cf. their mutual effort Prometheus). And I am glad listening to this newest album, for it brings mystery and beauty, albeit from the darkest angle. Of Eärendil And The War Of Wrath deals with the Half-Elf Eärendil, a famous mariner who sailed to the secret lands of Aman, and the Great Battle aka War of Wrath, from Men, Elves, and Valar against the wicked armies of Morgoth. These events eventually led to the total destruction of the Beleriand regions at the end of the First Era. But… this is not an essay about Tolkien’s First Era, yet a review about an album…
Of Eärendil And The War Of Wrath consists of eleven chapters that clock almost forty-five minutes. At the end of Autumn 2023, Anglachel did release the digital edition, followed by the compact-disc version, and more recently (on January 19th), Dark Age Productions released the material on cassette in a limited edition of 100 copies (so hurry up!). The recording comes with unique artwork (by some Maria Lampa aka wonder_dreamworld).
First a word about the production. Of Eärendil And The War Of Wrath has a very nice sound-quality, which truly goes well with the conceptual approach. The sound is vivid and bright, and at the same time tight and rich; even generous and plump, if you want to. That luminosity is resplendent, for every single epic on this album consists of multitudinous levels of instrumentation, mainly synth-based and with addition of drums, yet implementing other kinds of percussion, some samples (including vocal sampling), and other instrumental additions (like strings, piano and the like). There is no background noise, while the mix has decently been crafted. The result works quite enlightening and illuminating, despite the murky, tragic content.
Opener Chased By The Hordes Of Evil immediately gives a glimpse of what this album stands for: heroic and epic, maybe somewhat dramatic Symphonic Martial Dungeon Synth Orchestra. Indeed, this might be a mostly fitting definition for Anglachel’s bombastic Dungeon Synth Music. It opens quite combative, like a war-hymn to prepare an army to war: multiple dark-edged symphonies, pounding martial drum patterns, and epic, fearless orchestrations. After about a minute and a half, this victorious introduction evolves into a rather ‘medieval’-like piece, with a more dynamic main theme, additional percussions, and the use of some samples. I do not think it is incomprehensible to refer to Summoning, although Anglachel comes with its own sound for sure. It’s just a direction, an idea, a guideline…
Years In Sojourn has a more nostalgic, introvert, almost desolate character. Besides the martial-oriented drums and the abundant layers of keyboard-driven elegance, several other kinds of percussion get used, as well as almost fairylike / voice-like tunes; cf. the middle part, with semi-elfish chanting and wind-bells. It sounds delicate, fragile, yet at the very same time solid and conversant.
And that is somehow the ‘core’ behind Of Eärendil And The War Of Wrath: an organically composed aural adventure with both melancholic chapters, heroic passages and bleak, mysterious excerpts. Eärendil The Warrior is an example of the latter, starting of with the calm sound of waves at a cold shore, and including hauntingly beautiful piano and the sound of doomed strings (cello / viola-wise). Here too, the whole of the time everything seems to evolve, to grow, with new and new layers joining the aria. Things move, increase, climb up to higher peaks, and move back again, decelerating and fading into inner tranquility, before expanding once more to moments of magnitude and finesse.
The more integer compositions (*) do not express compliance or resignation, yet rather awareness or (in)comprehension. An example might be aforementioned Years In Sojourn. It creates an imaginary vision of misty woods, glimmering landscapes, and distantly moonlit skies in a mystic world where magic creatures and enigmatic entities dwell. Yes, the glamor of Tolkien’s legacy is ever present…
Then again, the rather vengeful, grandiloquent hymns (*) have that pompous, somewhat inauspicious attitude, like a presageful scenery of armies marching to the battlefield. Take The Slain Of Ancalagon, for example, which opens somewhat doomed and ominous, yet soon things develop through faster melodies with that fearless angle of pride and bravery (and hey, with contributing guest vocals by Thorondor himself?...).
(*) I do not want to divide this album into ‘softer’ and ‘heavier’ parts (cf. both former paragraphs); it’s these two elements acting / existing as opposites from / to each-other, yet the whole enterprise is an equilibrium, an interaction, an interplay of both these extremes and everything in between…
Each single composition on this album is a monument, a prove of stylistic grandeur and cosmetic elegance. Every chapter is an important part within this narrative of the tragic sagas from the First Era, yet there has always been hope and vision too. Of Eärendil And The War Of Wrath is a demonstration of a Tolkienish interpretation with a mischievous wink to our current existence; but I promised myself not to go the political way. With Hail Eärendil, Brightest Of Stars (a title referring to the Silmaril he wore when sailing the skies), this part of the saga ends in fair majesty…
https://anglachelds.bandcamp.com/album/of-e-rendil-and-the-war-of-wrath
https://darkageproductions.bandcamp.com/album/of-e-rendil-and-the-war-of-wrath
https://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/idylls-last-king-anglachel