Year : 2017
Style : Folk Metal , Black Metal
Country : Scotland
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 127 mb
Bio:
Cnoc An Tursa are a Scottish Metal Band forged in Falkirk 2006 by Alan Buchan and Rene Hill, and ancient Borough whose Motto is: "Better Meddle wi' the De'il than the Bairns O’ Falkirk"Cnoc An Tursa create intense, epic ballads combined with the tales of a much neglected art form; old Scottish poetry. Their sound represents a totally unrivaled form of heavy Scottish metal with ravenous melodic undertones and ancient rhythmical lyrics, capturing a sound deeply rooted in ancient heritage; giving a fresh perspective on what Scottish metal has to offer.Having played with the likes of Taake and Wodensthrone as well as a full UK tour with label mates Winterfylleth in the winter of 2010 the band gathered a large following and label interest, the band was picked up by Chris Naughton at Lone Vigil Recordings who introduced their debut album 'The Giants of Auld' to Candlelight records for release.The album was recorded at Foel Studios in Wales by acclaimed producer Chris Fielding (Winterfylleth, Napalm Death, Primordial, Electric Wizard) in 2011 then mixed and mastered at Anthropocide studios.Guitarist and Vocalist Alan Buchan had this to say upon signing to Candlelight: “It's an absolute honour for Cnoc An Tursa to be signing to Candlelight records and be part of such a celebrated roster of incredible bands, past and present. We are also proud to be given the chance to move forward with a label dedicated to bringing out the best music in the extreme metal scene”.
Album:
With a logo such as this, and the epic artwork that adorns the cover - you almost know exactly what to expect from Cnoc An Tursa. After all, 75% of the quartet is made up of musicians who play live with Saor. However, a quick glance at the song titles and lyrics reveals something I've never encountered in this genre before: using old Scottish dialect, similar to how Winterfylleth sing in old English. This adds an air of authenticity to a release that could have been easily drowned in cliché. On this, their second full-length, the Scottish pagans expand their sound with extended song structures, a thicker layer of keyboards, and a lush production quality that, although drenched in reverb, is both clear and atmospheric.As a patriotic Celt myself, I feel emotionally attached to The Forty Five due to its themes of cultural oppression and national pride. These are the kinds of battles we would be fighting today, were it not for our heightened tolerance of other lifestyles. Cnoc An Tursa dig deep into their country's sense of patriotism, much in the same way Winterfylleth do. Musically, this is also similar to their English counterparts - murky blasts of drums and rhythm guitar, overlayed with a wailing melody, while a distant roar echoes amongst the clamour. They thoroughly convince me that this would be the soundtrack to the Northern battles of the 18th century, had it been possible. This blend of pagan black metal, with a hint of folk, effectively conjures up images of warlike tragedy amongst the bleak, mountainous landscape of Scotland.Considering the miserable conclusion of the story behind The Forty Five, the entire album is shrouded in melancholy. Sure, there are faint spells of hope from the courageous lyrics and occasional triumphant melody line - but knowing the fate of the Jacobites makes this a beautifully sad affair. Vocalist Alan Buchan's resounding cries add so much to the theatricality of the album. Though the lyrics may not be as distinguishable as one would hope, his roars underneath the dramatic melodies of "Wha Wadna Fecht For Charlie?" are irresistibly harrowing. Same goes for the enormous melodies, admirably controlled by Rene Hill's lead guitars and keyboards, which contrast beautifully with the explosive black metal accompaniment.Fifth track "Flora MacDonald" deserves praise for being a genuinely well-placed interlude that sounds like it genuinely belongs in the 1750s, without being filler. When the gang-shouts of "Sound The Pibroch" erupt immediately afterwards, it's a glorious moment. Also, kudos to Cnoc An Tursa for understanding their limits - as The Forty Five is exactly the right length. The heralding crash of "Last Of The Stuarts" comes to a somber close, leaving the audience satisfyingly exhausted. Plenty of immersion, but with the right amount of anthemic gang-vocals to shout along with, The Forty Five is both accessible and captivating. Highly recommended for fans of Winterfylleth, Ninkharsag, Moonsorrow - and Scottish history in general.
Line Up:
Alan Buchan - Guitars (2006-present), Vocals (2006-2015) - See also: ex-Demonic Rising
Rene McDonald Hill - Guitars, Keyboards (2006-present) - See also: Saor (live)
Bryan Hamilton - Drums (2007-present) - See also: Saor (live), ex-Barshasketh
Tony Dunn - Bass (2015-present) - See also: Saor (live), Blackwork, ex-Falloch
Tracklist:
01. Will Ye No Come Back Again 01:46 instrumental
02. The Yellow Locks of Charlie 08:11
03. The Standard on the Braes o'Mar 04:27
04. Wha Wadna Fecht for Charlie 06:59
05. Flora MacDonald 02:09 instrumental
06. Sound the Pibroch 06:50
07. Fuigheall 08:56
08. The Last of the Stuarts 07:33
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
