Released on September 26th (except in the US/CAN who have to wait till next week), Following the Beast is the second full album from this Swedish outfit. Following on from 2010’s debut Lens of Guardian and the stopgap EP Celestial Warrior in 2012, this is another slab of traditional heavy metal with melodic and death-y overtones.
What makes Gormathon so good is their ability to take a particularly heavy sound and make catchy songs with it. They’re also not afraid to throw the odd curveball in to liven things up. One moment you’re listening to a death growl, then you’re into a traditional metal solo, half a verse later you could be spinning a viking metal track. Great stuff.
For a band with such a crushing sound, many of the tracks have a surprisingly upbeat – or at least rousing – tone. “Land of the Lost”, for example, has a great singalong chorus that would do any band proud. I love that it’s followed by “Hellbender” that just tears your soul apart with its epic grandeur, though. From one end of Gormathon’s blood-soaked scale to the other.
I wish I had more time to dissect this album and explain to you why it’s so good, but I’m trying to get through a huge pile of other material. Have a listen to “Land of the Lost” below and trust me on this – it’s a superb album, and with enough variety in the tracks that you won’t be bored by the time you’re halfway through.
There are some truly great songs on here that stand up amongst the best in related genres. Well done to Gormathon on taking the idea of a “difficult second album” and giving it a firm kick in the balls. Job done.
