Fealty To Ways Of Old

Fealty refers to a feudal loyalty to a lord. On the band’s band camp page they seem to establish the above line as their mantra, and the music certainly embodies that sentiment. Fealty sets the stage with a rather long ambient intro with a deliberate pace punctuated by the calls and cries of battle. This perfectly sets the stage for the raw and restless black metal that comprises the rest of the album. The ways of old are strong in this piece as the second wave Nordic and Eastern European influence is unabashed and brilliantly woven together. The drums provide a mostly breakneck pace, with perfectly timed/placed moments of respite and the tone of this album is that of melancholic triumph, which speaks to battles won and lost in pursuit of a more monumental victory.

All of the above is true, however, Fealty succeeds in re-invigorating a fairly well tread direction. Through immense sincerity, this piece carves it’s own way through a crowded field of dull imposters, creating a new demo that stands strong in the halls of old black metal.

-EPH

Edition of 100