Boasting the production talents of Kile Odell and loosely based on the concept of tarot cards, Tarot begins the masterpiece to come with “The Fool” – beginning modestly, then ominously cascading into a black metal-meets-southern-fried riff inspired fury. Further setting the stage for the remainder of the opus, incendiary title track “Tarot” leans heavier into what fans have now come to love from AETHER REALM – a confident, cinematic melding of spine-tingling symphonic elements, thrashy rhythms and mind-boggling guitar leads. Following folk metal anthem-turned-talent show “King of Cups” (featuring labelmate Christopher Bowes of massive pirate metal titans Alestorm), Tarot continues to blindingly shine with tracks like the metallic ballad-echoed “Death” and sinister orchestral oeuvre “The Devil” – the latter of which should catch any competition shaking in their boots. The remainder of Tarot – capped by the nearly 20-minute heroic “The Sun, The Moon, The Star” – proves that it is indeed possible to flawlessly meld southern Americana-metal riffs with European-tinged symphonic soundscapes.
Tarot is the album that every band wishes they could attempt by their second go-round, yet AETHER REALM have already achieved it and gaze triumphantly ahead!
Tarot reissue tracklisting:
1. The Fool
2. Tarot
3. The Tower
4. King of Cups (feat. Chris Bowes)
5. Death
6. The Chariot
7. The Devil
8. The Emperor
9. Strength
10. Temperance
11. The Sun, the Moon, the Star
12. The Magician (Bonus Track) |