CALADAN BROOD - Echoes of Battle, 2-LP clear vinyl, ltd. 350 LAST COPIES

	€		35
	$		40

Band: Caladan Brood

Title: Echoes of Battle

Format: 2LP

Description: LAST COPIES!!!

Epic vinyl edition of this landmark album:

- 350g gatefold cover
- printed 250g cardboard innersleeves
- two A2 posters (250g quality paper)
- logo sticker
- 2x 180g clear vinyl
- two exclusive vinyl bonus tracks (Summoning covers)
- total playing time almost 1.5 hours!
- ltd. 350

When the first volumes of Steven Erikson's "Malazan Book of the Fallen" were published it became clear that the term "Epic Fantasy" had just been redefined. Even the works of J.R.R. Tolkien or G.R.R. Martin did not share the sheer size and complexity of the world Erikson had created.

"Echoes of Battle" is the debut album of this newcomer band from Utah/USA, and their songs are the Epic Black Metal interpretation of Erikson's Malazan books, not unlike what a certain band from Austria created for Tolkien's Middle Earth.

In fact, when you listen to "Echoes of Battle" for the first time you might think you're listening to the new album of that certain band from Austria, simply because Summoning defined this very style, let's keep calling it Epic Black Metal, 17 years ago on their "Minas Morgul" album and since then no other band has managed to reach the pinnacle of perfection Summoning held ever since. Until now.

What distinguishes Caladan Brood from a mere copycat is their ability to take what worked for Summoning and then add their own trademarks to it, such as clean male vocals and choirs or actual guitar solos, and forging all of this into something truly majestic, thus redefining the term Epic Black Metal in their own unique way, just like Erikson redefined Epic Fantasy with his books.

And while it's obvious that Summoning have been a tremendous influence for Caladan Brood, for those of you who, like myself, were waiting in vain for a new Summoning album and by now are ready to welcome an heir to the throne, for you "Echoes of Battle" may well turn into a 71 (!) min eargasm because it simply can't get any better than this. Everything on this release, the fantastic music, the great vocals, the massive sound, the attention to detail, the beautiful artwork by Albert Bierstadt, the poetic lyrics, everything works in tandem to create an album that will be enjoyed by fans of this style for years to come, and may even end up in many all-time faves lists. It really is that good!

Now, if your head is spinning from all the superlatives I'm throwing at you, consider the fact that we're talking about a band's debut album here, two youngsters that appeared out of nowhere, without a demo or any previous sign of life. Realize the level of perfection in terms of songwriting and musicianship they have already reached, and imagine what we may expect from them in the future...

Some review ratings:

9.5/10 - dtm.at
5/5 - metalcrypt.com
10/10 - metal.tm
9/10 - rottinghill.at
10/10 - nocturnalhall.com
10/10 - ladoscuro.org
5/5 - metalpsalter.com
9/10 - bloodchamber.de
10/10 - soundshock.com
10/10 - deadrhetoric.com
9.5/10 - crossfire-metal.de
4.5/5 - heathenharvest.org
6/6 - metal-impressions.de
4.5/5 - blackwindmetal.com
9.5/10 - metalsoundscapes.com
10/10 - heavymetalspotlight.blogspot.de
9/10 - unholyblackartofritual.blogspot.de
10/10 - forgottenmonsters.wordpress.com
10/10 - www.moltenmetalreviews.wordpress.com

Reviews quotes:

"Caladan Brood tickles my otherwise sworn-to-power-metal-heart not for a long lain dormant love for harsh vocals or droning guitars, but because of the incredible mastery of atmosphere on display. […] for me Echoes Of Battle marks the first milestone of the musical year I am compelled to call superior to others. Hood’s Breath, get this now."
(4.5/5 - blackwindmetal.com)

"Die knapp 70-minütige Reise ins Mythengeflecht der Malazanischen Reiche ist für ein Debüt fast schon unanständig hochwertige Unterhaltung in Sachen SUMMONING-Metal, und entsprechend Interessierte sollten „Echoes Of Battle“ spätestens gestern verhaftet haben. Genreübergreifend vielleicht der Einstand des Jahres."
(9/10 - bloodchamber.de)

"Die Liebe zum Detail, die epochale Ausrichtung und der mystische dunkle Songaufbau der sechs überlangen Stücke stellt fast alles in den Schatten, das jemals als Erstlingswerk auf den Markt gekommen ist. […] Mit dem fünfzehn Minuten Epos „Book Of The Fallen“, unter Einsatz besonders starker Vocals, wird diese düstere Verschwörungssymphonie durch das perfekte Songwriting und der tadellosen musikalischen Umsetzung wiederum eindrucksvoll beendet, und stellt damit garantiert eines der Highlights des Jahres 2013 dar. Dieses Monumentalwerk sollte man nicht nur hören, sondern einfach auf sich wirken lassen und genießen. Klasse!"
(9.5/10 - crossfire-metal.de)
Caladan Brood officially toss their hat into the ring and confirm that Summoning have spawned a legitimate successor, and moreover, with their debut album, have released something that Old Mornings Dawn would have been fortunate to resemble. [...] A clear contender for best epic black metal album of 2013, Echoes of Battle was released in February of this year by (apparent) newcomers who go by the names Shield Anvil and Mortal Sword. This is one of those albums that left people thinking “Holy shit, where did this come from?” And if you are a Summoning fan and are open to the furthering of their musical legacy, this album is mandatory."
(10/10 - deadrhetoric.com)

"Wow!!! Das Debüt von CALADAN BROOD hat mich wirklich umgehauen! Und auch wenn SUMMONING meine absolute Lieblingsband sind, muß ich zugeben, daß “Echoes Of Battle” genau DAS Album ist, das ich mir seit sieben Jahren von Silenius und Protector gewünscht habe. Nach der exzellenten Silberscheibe von CALADAN BROOD wird die Luft dünn, auf dem Gipfel des Epischen Atmosphärischen Fantasy Black Metal. Meine Erwartungen an das neue Album von SUMMONING sind extrem hoch, und ich bin äußerst gespannt, ob “Old Mornings Dawn” (so der Titel des kommenden Werkes der Österreicher) “Echoes Of Battle” toppen bzw. auch nur erreichen kann (nach den letzten beiden,meiner Meinung nach etwas schwächeren Alben “Let Mortal Heroes Sing Their Fame” und “Oath Bound”). CALADAN BROOD haben jedenfalls mit ihrem genialen Debüt die Meßlatte verdammt hoch gelegt. Dafür gehen bei mir alle Daumen hoch!"
(9.5/10 - dtm.at)

"In the same way Summoning used their adoration for Tolkien’s work to create some ground-breaking records, Caladan Brood have created a masterpiece of their own, using Erikson’s writings as a thematic base."
(10/10 - forgottenmonsters.wordpress.com)

"Graveland’s latter work and Nokturnal Mortum's catalogue may have aided Caladan Brood’s ambition, but cannot match this work in terms of clarity and dynamism – being that bit harsher, though they do as a result maintain their Black Metal credentials whilst Caladan Brood expand beyond. […] Thinking back, the first song I sampled – the title track – is probably the most Summoning-esque offering, with its distorted arpeggio intro particularly reminiscent of Summoning’s Oath Bound. But I’m pleased to report, after repeated listens, that Caladan Brood most assuredly do have their own style and a quality which – dare I say it – rivals and often exceeds their named influences. […] Caladan Brood have set the bar rather high – not only for their own next attempt, but for the forthcoming new album by ‘that band’ who first synthesized epic fantasy metal."
(4.5/5 - heathenharvest.org)

"Hasta con sus errores es un disco perfecto... como aquellos que pasan a la historia. Noveno contendiente a Disco del Año de El Lado Oscuro - Metal Crítica."
(10/10 - ladoscuro.org)

"...die Ähnlichkeiten zwischen CALADAN BROOD und Summoning sind wirklich unverkennbar. Überlange Songs, bestehend aus Midtempo-Black Metal, der mit gewaltigen Keyboard-Arrangements gepaart wird. [...] Die Amerikaner haben den Bogen raus, wie sich ein Song über zehn Minuten hinweg entwickelt, wechseln gekonnt harte Passagen mit epischen Augenblicken ab und haben auch keine Angst davor, mal ausuferndere, höchst emotionale Gitarrensoli einzubauen. [...] Summoning selbst haben einige CDs gebraucht, um diesen Standard zu erreichen [...] ein Epos, das sich gewaschen hat."
(Legacy)

"Insgesamt lässt sich also festhalten, dass CALADAN BROOD alles andere als ein Abklatsch von SUMMONING sind, sondern durchaus eine ernstzunehmende Konkurrenz von der ich noch Großartiges erwarte."
(10/10 - metal.tm)

"I get umpteen unsolicited promos in my inbox and mailbox every week, and 99% of them are some kind of crap. This is the bar of gold that justifies all the digging around, the diamond at the bottom of the ditch. I always hesitate to say shit like "this band is going places" because, you know, shit can always happen. But this album is a stellar achievement that everyone involved with can be eternally proud of. This one goes on my 'Best of 2013' list and we're not even two months in. The great Summoning themselves are slated to release an album this year, but with Echoes of Battle their progeny have set the bar pretty fucking high. A must-have album."
(5/5 - metalcrypt.com)

"This is a monster of a debut. In fact, I actually believe this might be the new standard in which all epic black metal will be judged. It’s really that good. You can stream Echoes of Battle in its entirety on Caladan Brood’s Bandcamp page right now. Do it."
(metal-fi.com)

"Fazit: Episch, bombastisch und genial! Ein Debüt wie ein Orkan, der über Berge, Gedanken und Lautsprecher hinwegfegt, um Staunen und Verblüffung zu hinterlassen. Wer auch nur ansatzweise etwas mit Fantasy anfangen kann und sich fragt, wie man es vertonen kann, muss diese Scheibe gehört haben. Ein Meisterwerk!"
(6/6 - metal-impressions.de)

"The images created within this music are second to none, reflecting all of the novels and short stories we metalheads ingested like candy as impressionable children. Two songs into this gem and I'm in absolute awe! […] When you think of true 'battle-metal' or atmospheric metal music, I implore you to take this record and seal yourself away for a time. It will be well worth your effort., even if the thought of long tracks puts you off. You'll become so engrossed in what you're hearing and the pictures within your mind's eye that before you know it the phase is over and the pattern begins anew. This is truly a remarkable piece of work, and Caladan Brood is on my eternal radar. Watch for it in early 2013; you won't be sorry."
(5/5 - metalpsalter.com)

"Caladan Brood, while being the second [to Summoning] (and almost equal in quality I might add) in the genre, goes the length to have themselves distinguished from the originators. The quality clean male singing, the choruses, their synths sounding dead on like trumpets, flutes and harps (or could be that real instruments are used), the occasional guitar solos (Wild Autumn Wind, A Voice Born of Stone and Dust), or the outright black metal moments on the album – all of these serve dual purpose of bringing Echoes of Battle individuality and extra dimension. If you are a Summoning fan (and judging by the reviews I have done on the site for them I guess I can be considered as one), you can’t afford to miss out on Caladan Brood debut. Northern Silence has a knack of discovering these gold nuggets bands, so here is to hoping they can hold on to Caladan Brood going forward."
(85/100 - metalreviews.com)

"Caladan Brood have composed 6 long songs and 71 minutes of finest epic black metal in the vein of Summoning. From the very first listening I was sure this is something great and the more I listen to it, the more addictive it becomes! I find everything in this work perfect. […] Caladan Brood have just raised the level of epic melodic and atmospheric black metal very high for this year!"
(9.5/10 - metalsoundscapes.com)

"Auf „Echoes Of Battle“ wird das Mitdempo in vorbildlicher Art und Weise zelebriert, was nicht nur in der herausragenden kompositorischen Qualität begründet liegt, sondern auch in der feinen Abmischung und Gewichtung der verschiedenen Instrumente. Das Keyboard sorgt für ein verträumtes Fundament. Es sorgt jedoch nicht nur für die umfangreichen Melodien, sondern dient auch als dezente Begleitung der Gitarre. Diese ist eine definitive Stärke von CALADIAN BROOD, denn von ihr kommen wunderbar eingängige und abwechslungsreiche Läufe und Riffs, ebenso ganze Melodien und Harmonien. Auch der Gesang passt sich der Musik hervorragend an. Von stimmungsvollem Keifen bis hin zu sakral anmutenden Chorälen wird keine Gelegenheit zum Gänsehautfeeling ausgelassen. […] Fans von THE SUMMONING, MORTIIS oder ELFFOR sollten sich dringend um den Erwerb dieses Albums kümmern."
(8.5/10 - neckbreaker.de)

"If you can't wait for the new Summoning album, here's a corker for you: The debut album of CALADAN BROOD from Salt Lake City, Utah brings tears to my eyes. Easily one of the best debut albums of the recent years, it is a glorious combination of Summoning, late Bathory and Falkenbach. Long swooping melodies interspersed with rough black metal, wonderful choirs follow raw black metal singing, in one word: Epic."
(10/10 - nocturnalhall.com)

"There is also a sense of spaciousness and subtlety to each song, and the grandeur of the sumptuous keyboards on “City of Azure Fire” actually deserves to have the abused descriptor, “epic”, applied to it. These dramatic twists and turns contrast greatly with the fierce nature of “Voice Born of Stone and Dust” and the folk metal heights of “To Walk the Ashes of Dead Empires”. And as the sombre sound of a trumpet on “Book of the Fallen” signals the end of what can only be described as one of the best medieval sounding metal albums to ever be recorded, Caladan Brood have emerged victorious."
(popmatters.com)

"So ist "Echoes of Battle" viel mehr als das lang ersehnte, neue "Summoning"-Album. Es ist ein eigenständiges, monumentales Werk, in das derart viel Leidenschaft und Aufwand investiert wurde, dass jeder, der die Musik auf einen Vergleich mit "Summoning" beschränkt, seine Maßstäbe noch einmal überdenken sollte. Und ich möchte noch weiter gehen: "Echoes of Battle" ist einer der wichtigsten Anwärter auf das Album des Jahres 2013 und stellt einen Großteil der Vertreter dieses Genres in den Schatten - Vielleicht sogar einige Alben von "Summoning" selbst."
(9/10 - rottinghill.at)

"It’s not just thematically, but also musically where the comparisons to Summoning are apparent. However, Caladan Brood have perfected a new breed of fantasy metal that makes use of less retro keyboard sounds than Summoning, bringing the sound up to date and creating a fantasy world of its own with more subtle, airy ambience. […] Every so often, we’re faced with an unsuspecting and heart-wrenching escape into the fictional lands of Erikson, via some haunting bout of monastery-like choir backed with lavish keyboards on opening ten-minute track “City of Azure Fire” or by the barbarous snarling in the vocal domain and expert solo work on most vicious track of the album, “Voice Born Of Stone And Dust”. The experience comes to its spine-tingling peak in “To Walk The Ashes Of Dead Empires” with a crescendo of jagged and distorted yet melodic folk riffs placed beautifully behind the type of symphonic horn-calls that could inspire a cavalry of cowards to a brave death. […] what these two unknown Americans have conjured in “Echoes Of Battle” is genius."
(10/10 - soundshock.com)

"In some ways it even arguably outdoes Summoning, especially in the way the songs are structured. […] The guitarwork is a much more involving affair, too […] The vocals are very well exected, the prominence of the clean male choir-like vocals are used to very good effect, sounding very similar to the clean vocal work on Gallowbraid's work but far more fitting and huge sounding. […] The screams sound every bit as intense as you'd expect, so much so that you may feel they're out of place initially but you soon come to feel like they're perfectly at home. The drums are an obvious drum machine job but they fit the aesthetic perfectly due to the usage of the very primitive MIDI-sounding synths, almost having a sense of nostalgia resounding through them - not to mention the album in general. […] It's worth saying too that the control this band has not to over-use everything is impressive, and when you also consider the length of this album it's almost unreal that these two unknown musicians were able to craft something this well put together. The atmosphere is absolutely fantastic to boot - absolutely nothing sounds phoned in or slapped together as a desperate attempt to cash in on other band's successes. […] it's very easy to go as far as calling this the strongest epic black metal release in recent years. Caladan Brood have crafted an absolutely superb album with an equally as engrossing concept behind it. The atmosphere, pacing and sheer energy behind this album absolutely washes away any kind of reservations of being a simple copy band. It's a great, great journey of an album that goes at lengths to not tire out its welcome and does an admirable job at that and for many reasons it comes with a high recommendation considering the passing of albums like this is a pretty rare affair. Buy with confidence."
(4/5 - sputnikmusic.com)

"…mitten aus dem Nichts hat sich ein weiteres Bandprojekt aus den USA erhoben, welches nicht nur nahtlos an die letzte Veröffentlichung von Summoning anknüpft, nein, sie setzen meiner Meinung nach sogar noch einen drauf! […] Satte 71 Minuten lang wird man von 6 Liedern verzaubert, die ich allesamt als Meisterwerke bezeichnen würde. Langsame, sehr hallende Drums und das vielschichtig eingesetzte Keyboard dominieren das Klanggeschehen, es erfolgt der Wechsel zwischen einer anständigen Kreischstimme und heroischem, mehrstimmigen Cleangesang. Gerade dieser Cleangesang gehört zu den allerbesten die ich je gehört habe und erzeugt immer wieder Momente, von denen man sich wünscht, sie mögen nie enden! […] Fakt ist, dass man es mit einer absolut genialen CD zu tun hat, für das mir keine negative Kritik einfällt. Alles passt so, wie es ist. Northern Silence Productions hat sich hier eine wirklich vielversprechende Veröffentlichung an Land gezogen, die sich offensichtlich zwar an Summoning orientiert, ihre Vorbilder aber in meinen Augen sogar noch an Abwechslung und Ideenreichtum übertrifft - und das mit der allerersten Veröffentlichung. Meinen größten Respekt an die beiden Jungs aus Utah. Top!"
(sturmglanz.de)

"Echoes of Battle isn’t a quick, catchy listen with a 70 minute run time and the songs range from 9-15 minutes with many of the jaw dropping moments contained within the 6 songs are buried deep within the tracks, requiring a full journey to fully take in. Whether it be the majestic close of opener “City of Azure Fire”, the stunning horn/brass bridge at 4:39 of personal favorite “The Walk the Ashes of Dead Empires” or the utterly breathtaking choral arrangements in “Wild Autumn Wind” and that start (and reprise) in closer “Book of the Fallen”, Echoes of Battle is at times awe inspiring regardless of influence. […] Does Summoning‘s next release have more hype and expectations? Undoubtedly. But don’t be surprised if those lofty expectations and 6 year lay off result in a let down and folks turn to Caladan Brood‘sEchoes of Battle as a proxy release that litters a few year end lists and to fulfill the void if Old Morning’s Dawn disappoints or underwhelms."
(teethofthedivine.com)

"...a truly excellent piece of work […] the melodies that Caladan Brood crafted are in some parts unquestionably magnificent, for instance the guitar melody after the intro of the title track (the ending of the song is absolutely outstanding also), the different sounds that they are using, like the strings in the albums opener, City of Azure Fire, then add to that the use of samples (battle sounds, sword fighting etc.), a few guitar solos (10 minutes inWild Autumn Wind) and the overall great atmosphere of the album (for instance in A Voice Born of Stone and Dust). They even have a straight as fuck black metal part in To Walk The Ashes of Dead Empires, which maintains its black metal structure even though the main lead is played on the synths, quite impressive actually. The album closes in an absolutely majestic way with Book of The Fallen, summing up what this band is all about."
(unhallowednation.com)

"Fazit: Ich bin beeindruckt und sogar etwas überrascht, dass "Echoes of Battle" derart zündet. Seit ich es habe, habe ich es mir etliche Male angehört, und kann es jedes Mal in einer Tour durchlaufen lassen, ohne dass mich etwas an der Musik stören würde. Ein grandioses Werk, welches bestens dazu geeignet ist, sich die Wartezeit auf das kommende Summoning-Album zu verkürzen. Aber auch nicht nur dafür! Für alle, die mit dem epischen Stil Summoning's, mit dem chorlastigen Stil Graveland's, aber auch mit den Atmosphären von Bands wie Falkenbach oder auch Bathory etwas anfangen können, spreche ich eine klare Empfehlung aus!"
(9/10 - unholyblackartofritual.blogspot.de)

Condition: New/Unplayed

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