VOLCANDRA
VOLCANDRA “The Way Of Ancients”
By Theron Moore
VOLCANDRA have been described as a fantasy based quintet of black metal, melodic death metal, with a healthy dose of thrash thrown in for good measure. Truth be told, they had me at “fantasy based quintet,” I won’t lie, I’m easy like that.
“The Way Of Ancients” is the band’s second full length album building upon a conceptual world which started on their first album populated by ghastly images of skeletal demons and stygian wizards. Preparation and writing for this record started a while ago, back in the Winter of 2022. Vocalist and lyricist Dave Palenske decided to go for broke with a big overarching story heavily influenced by the video game series “Diablo,” coupled with his love for 80’s fantasy flicks such as “Conan”, “Clash Of The Titans”, and “Excalibur”. Wrap it all together, put a bow on it, and you get “The Way Of Ancients”.
Cutting right to the chase, the record is eight tracks of solid, crushing metal running the gamut from black to melodic death. The music is fresh, not cookie cutter, and definitely pings the brutality / aggression meter with each track. There’s a healthy amount of thrashy goodness coupled with a few moments of brooding darkness connecting track three “Nemesis Confession” with track four “Maiden Of Anguish.” Hitting this groove really elevated VOLCANDRA’s music making it seem heavier, if that’s possible, not to mention more ominous. The same holds true for “Not Even Death.”
All in all, the record is a ripper for sure. The fantasy element works well with the music which is amongst the best death metal of its kind I’ve heard in a long time. Standout tracks for me include the title track, “Nemesis Confession,” and “Maiden Of Anguish.” The record is out now, buy it.
4/5 Stars