It Feels Like They're Just Getting Started: WAR SHEPHERD Enters A New Chapter With EP “Shattered Thrones Part 1”
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
Hailing from Plymouth, WAR SHEPHERD describe themselves as delivering a "modern strain" of melodic death metal. Think heavy riffs, blasting rhythms, sweeping orchestration. All of which I've got a big ol' soft spot for. The band's latest EP, "Shattered Thrones Part 1: The Red Pages", takes all of this and packages it in a really strong burst of musical storytelling, all wrapped up before the 20 minute mark.
Straight away, I'm finding myself drawn to the band's narrative. Opening track "Threads of Fate" wastes no time in setting the scene, quickly showing what's on offer. Influences of bands like In Flames and Arch Enemy are transparent, the band blending cinematic soundscapes with a more traditional melodic sound.
Subtitle track "The Red Pages" sees a faster, thrashier edge of the band, strings still giving it that cinematic oomph. There's something about blast beats and strings that really scratches the brain. The orchestration here is a particular standout, really emphasising a lot of what the guitars are doing.
The band's heavier technicalities take a backseat for "The Walls Fall Silent". This is the shortest track on the EP, and instead feels more interlude than song, guiding the listener through this particular part of the wider narrative. At the core of the track is an acoustic guitar accompanied by serenading violins. To link it back to the aforementioned influences, this resembles more "Saturnine" than "The Race". In the midst of relentless heaviness, brief respite is always welcome.
This leads nicely into "Star Meridian", carrying on that feeling of hopefulness before quickly taking it away. The intensity from previous tracks returns, the atmosphere remaining a strong point. At parts, there's even hints of Nightwish buried in its instrumentation.
Closing track "Dethrone the King" arguably saves the best till last. Everything the band have displayed thus far feels amped up, an excellent display of musicianship and technical songwriting. The EP ends with a hopeful resolute, opening up the gates for an inevitable Part 2 down the line.
It's clear that this is a band that have spent time refining their sound, delivering an EP that still manages to sound fresh in a sea of similar bands. It feels like War Shepherd are just getting started.
"Shattered Thrones Part 1" is out NOW on streaming services
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