BLOODBOUND – War Of Dragons (2017)

At this time and age, talking about dragons in a metal musical context is bit… dated. But that’s exactly what BLOODBOUND in their new album “War Of Dragons” to be released tomorrow. It’s cheesy, yes, but darn fun and entertaining, as now their style slightly changed for a more commercial sound.

Swedes have been altering their approach from album to album in an attempt to find some mythological metallic sweet spot. Starting life as a cracking traditional metal group, they subsequently drifted into borderline Euro-power and back several times with varied results. On 2014s Stormborn they took things quite deep into D&D Euro-puffery territory with a threadbare Game of Thrones concept. While far from stellar, it worked after a fashion and offered a few fun moments.
As is obvious from the title and LARPilicious cover, War of Dragons takes that style and simply rocks right into Mordor with it. Does this foretell of their demise via critical fire or rebirth via Rhapsody OF Fire? It’s a fine, fine line.

After a short intro, “Battle in the Sky” drops a 5-ton rind of gooey cheddar on you with such a shamelessly over-the-top bombast and medieval lyrics. Seriously, when the chorus hits with all its symphonic operatic bombast and more keys than that weird little dude in The Matrix sequel, you’ll either bust out laughing or be completely spellbound depending on your relative tolerance for orc products.
As much as I want to mock and ridicule it, I can’t deny the song is darn fun. And somehow, there are more like it.

“Tears of the Dragonheart” (really, guys?) is an equally ridiculous yet fun, anthemic slice of Euro-pop power with just enough grit to make it palatable. Yeah, you read well, Euro-pop.
“Silver Wings” is the best song Bloodbound has written in years, infusing a folksy Celtic swing. It’s almost impossible to dislike and shows these cats can write really infectious tunes when the moon is in the right quadrant of the celestial zenith during its dark apogee.

Songs like “Stand and Fight,” “Fallen Heroes” and “Symphony Satana” all make free and open use of the classic melodic metal sound to good effect, and “War of Dragons” is overblown in the way good Euro-power must be.
Even the disastrously titled “Dragons Are Forever” (really, guys?: Part Deux) will have you singing along after a cautious glance over your shoulder to ensure you’re all alone.

There are no bad songs on “War Of Dragons” and all dwell in that mysterious middle ground between catchy and silly. The 45-minute runtime is wise, as the slightest hint of additional dairy might cause this whole thing to explode like a Dragon Bomb Z.
The production is much less brickwalled than last time, but that modern Euro-power bombast is still present when things get overly busy.

Musically, this new Bloodbound 2017 is really inoffensive, fun, cheesy, full of keyboards – courtesy of Fredrik Bergh from Seven / Rob Moratti, so expect AOR flurries as well – resulting in a diminution of overall heaviness.
And as said, lyrics are silly, but these songs are really, really catchy.
Very Recommended

01. A New Era Begins
02. Battle in the Sky
03. Tears of a Dragonheart
04. War of Dragons
05. Silver Wings
06. Stand and Fight
07. King of Swords
08. Fallen Heroes
09. Guardians at Heaven’s Gate
10. Symphony Satana
11. Starfall
12. Dragons Are Forever

Patrik J Selleby – vocals
Tomas Olsson – guitars
Henrik Olsson – guitars
Anders Broman – bass
Fredrik Bergh – keyboards

PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.co.uk/War-Dragons-Bloodbound/dp/B01MZ6VBPP
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