Ever since first listening to symphonic greatness in Dance With The Dragon a few years ago, DARK SARAH have been on my radar ever since. They are back with a brand-new part of the DARK SARAH story, Attack Of Orym to be precise. Let me tell you more.
I always say the best opening tracks lure you in and hit you with an impact at the same time. Both Intro and the title track do this perfectly; let me explain why.
Intro sounds like Hans Zimmer had a hand in this track, there are some strong similarities between this and his piece Roll Tide he wrote for the film Crimson Tide. Both excellent pieces and ones that certainly have the listener eagerly anticipating what’s to come next.
With its majestic orchestrations and pumping riffs, the title track grabs you by the ankles and drags you along whether you are ready for it or not. FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE come to mind with this sort of arrangement, and it works with this new eighties sounding metal that DARK SARAH have produced in this record. One thing I will say, necks will be sore from headbanging to this track.
Even though DARK SARAH go a different direction with their sound for this record, they keep to the core of their original sound. I have said before this is a hard feat to achieve but DARK SARAH pull it off significantly. Below are a few examples of what I mean.
Imagine parts of the melody from HELLOWEEN track Best Time whilst going through Vecna’s mind in Stranger Things; this should give you a rough idea of what B.U.R.N sounds like. The haunting choirs bring that vastness of Vecna’s mind to the surface of your imagination.
I have three words for Goth Disco; fun, spooky and epic. The title alone is enticing enough and quite rightly so. It’s one of those tracks that once you read the title, it’s in your head for days after the initial listen. If Rob Zombie and Danny Elfman collaborated on the music, it would sound something similar to this. Vocalist Heidi Parviainen explained in an interview when writing this track, she imagined the music video to contain Muppet like puppets singing the choral parts. You can read more about that by clicking here. Now I know this, I can’t help but think this wouldn’t be out of place in the film Labyrinth. For those reasons listed, this is my personal favourite track on the album.
Piece Of My Heart features regular DARK SARAH guest vocalist JP Leppäluoto. In The Golden Moth, he was Dragon in that part of the DARK SARAH saga. At the end of that tale, he took the pendant to help get his wings back, betraying Dark Sarah in the process. The guilt Dragon feels and hurt Dark Sarah feels are expressed fully in the title track of The Golden Moth. He reincarnated as Wolf in Grim where he features in the track The Wolf And The Maiden. It’s a great collaboration here; it captures the feelings of The Golden Moth and the great melody from The Wolf And The Maiden.
Hero And Villain is that final showdown that gets you ready for the conclusion; but is it really the end? Don’t want to reveal to many spoilers here but there is great possibility Luna’s original identity Dark Sarah comes to the surface. It’s a great melody that triumphantly closes things out.
Due to its selection of great melodies that will take you on an amazing adventure, Attack Of Orym is an exciting new chapter of the DARK SARAH saga that will excite long time fans and brand-new listeners.
Rating: 10/10
Words: Lotty Whittingham
Attack Of Orym is out this Friday.
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