« Pagan Heart » Ep
Self Released/Independent
2013
Brazil has most notably been synonymous with Thrash Metal legends, Sepultura, and cult heroes such as Sarcofago and Vulcano, but recently there has been a new trend in Brazillian extreme Metal that’s forcing its way onto the global arena, Folk Metal! Rio de Janeiro’s, PAGAN THRONE are a band that combine the essence of Black Metal with the catchy, foot stompin’ rhythms of Folk, and on their latest ep, “Pagan Heart”, the potential for greatness is certainly there.
Tremelo guitar fury and melody grace much of the three songs on display here as “The Trial of the Gods” greets the listener with tales of heroism and mythological warfare. Not content to merely ride a mid- paced tempo, “Diseases of the New World”, shows Pagan Throne’s more aggressive side, complete with Rodrigo Garm’s venomous vocal rasp and clean, shouted attack. Ep closer, “Pagan Heart” is perhaps the record’s shining light as calm keys and tambourines quietly anticipate the rousing guitars and epic quality the song imbues.
Though the musical ideas are interesting enough, the sound quality is somewhat lacking. Often, when the vocals are heard, the guitars seem to disappear in the background while the keyboards could be made a bit louder to embellish the drama the songs are made for. “Pagan Heart” is not a terribly heavy release and can be comparable to fellow country mates, TUATHA DE DANANN’s metallic side. Surely, Pagan and Folk Metal fans will lap this up, but if PAGAN THRONE wishes to compete in an already saturated scene, future releases may need more “teeth”.
Standout Tracks: “Pagan Heart”
6.5/10
