Name: The Scythe
Brand: E1 Entertainment Dist ***
SKU: 23052521
Price: 8.44 GBP
Availability: InStock

Performer Notes

Personnel: Damna (vocals); Elyghen (violin, viola, keyboards); Eleonora Steffan, Valentina Mosca (violin); Marco Balbinot (cello); Mauro Bortolani (piano); Claudio Coassin, Laura DeLuca, Pauline Tacey (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Nino Laurenne.
Recording information: Gernhart Studios, Germany (11/2006); Sherpa Studios, Italy (11/2006); Gernhart Studios, Germany (12/2006-03/2007); Sherpa Studios, Italy (12/2006-03/2007).
Photographer: Guido Suardi.
Elvenking celebrated their tenth anniversary in 2007, a year that found the Italian band moving in a decidedly heavier direction. The Scythe, which was recorded in 2006 and 2007, is clearly louder and more forceful than any of Elvenking's previous releases; play this 55-minute CD right after listening to their 2006 release Winter's Wake, and it is impossible to miss the fact that Elvenking was determined to rock a lot harder on The Scythe (which boasts guest solos by guitarist Mike Wead of Candlemass and King Diamond fame). Elvenking still favors a mixture of power metal, folk metal and progressive metal; they're still melodic and nuanced and still include violins, but this time, the band is noticeably thrashier and has more of a punk edge. Although stylistic comparisons to Iron Maiden, Manowar, Judas Priest, and Queensr˜che are still quite valid, there are times when The Scythe shows some awareness of thrashers like Megadeth and early Metallica (which is not a tremendously radical move on Elvenking's part because thrash metal came out of power metal: one could easily argue that early thrash was basically power metal with faster tempos and a healthy appreciation of punk). But while many '80s thrash bands favored a streetwise toughness and a keeping-it-real outlook (Anthrax, for example, was one of the first metal bands to incorporate hip-hop), The Scythe is -- like previous Elvenking discs -- an exercise in pure, unadulterated fantasy; on The Scythe, Elvenking's evolution is musical rather than lyrical. Elvenking's heavier direction has been a source of debate among their fans; some have reacted more favorably than others. Winter's Wake is more essential and more consistent, but overall, The Scythe is a decent outing from these Italian headbangers. ~ Alex Henderson

Professional Reviews

Kerrang (Magazine) (p.47) - "[An] astute and polished form of melodic rock, tempered of course by their characteristic bursts of folk-ish violin."

Album: The Scythe
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Scythe, The
2)	Lost Hill of Memories
3)	Infection
4)	Poison Tears
5)	A Riddle of Stars
6)	Romance & Wrath
7)	Divided Heart, The
8)	Totentanz
9)	Death and the Suffering
10)	Dominhate

Album: The Scythe
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Scythe, The
2)	Lost Hill of Memories
3)	Infection
4)	Poison Tears
5)	A Riddle of Stars
6)	Romance & Wrath
7)	Divided Heart, The
8)	Totentanz
9)	Death and the Suffering
10)	Dominhate