RAIBARD is a three-piece band from Boston, Massachusetts, United States. They are a blend of styles that shift and twist through various styles of music. Parts of their record sound a bit like 70s progressive rock, some is a bit folksy, others turn up the intensity and edge towards to metal. All of it sounds well written and performed. "Dark Realm of The Daylight" will be independently released on December 3, 2021.

The record opens with "Angel of The Clockwork." This has a distinct early RUSH feel to me. Like first four albums early. There is also almost middle eastern flair to some of the guitar work. The bass guitar does not act like a rhythm instrument, instead mirroring the guitar riff through much of the song. The drums are kind of doing their own thing at times, putting some fills in at various spots, but all within the structure of the riff. Definitely a progressive feel to this one.

"Bright Kingdom of The Night" begins with some haunting guitar work. The drums come in softly and the vocals seem to mirror the rest, having an eerie tint to them. The bass is quick, but quiet. While it is present, it seems to hang under a little in the mix at times, adding to the dread the song emits. The whole thing feels a little eerie as well. Dark of the day and bright of the night are the exact opposite of reality. The tension in this is palpable. You feel it. Interesting use of words and tones to give a creepy feeling that is a bit uncomfortable.

"Eternal Rise" uses a lower register on the guitar to turn darker. The vocals are again haunted, using a lower register with a female singer. The eerie vocalizations are nicely done, adding an ethereal feel. This song seems heavier even though it really isn't. The tempo is very similar to the others before but feels different due to the tone. By contrast, "Visions of You" is lighter and brighter. There is a little bit of LED ZEPPELIN-esque guitar work in this one. Again, nods to the past while staying new.

"Forever After" is the longest song on the record at just over eight minutes. Also lighter in tone at the start, it gets heavier in the middle, ramping up the guitars a bit. The bass and drums are a little faster and more frenetic, making this one of their harder rock songs. This one borders on metal at times but does not dive off the edge completely. The progressive leanings come out after the halfway point, dropping back into an at times jazzy sound, before going back to the mid-tempo style they often use.

"Walkin' On" is a good, middle of the road song that eases along, never getting in a hurry. The record wraps with "To the Dawn," a song that starts a little like a 70s ballad. The song is catchy and builds at just the right pace. It's a good end to this record. It has that feeling like it incorporates all the elements that were introduced earlier, making it the song that beings the record to its' logical conclusion, not just the last track on the disc.

RAIBARD is a bit of a funky mix. They are quirky, catchy and have a consistent, coherent feel to them. The songs are melodic and feel very much like classic hard rock from a bygone era. I enjoyed the laid-back sections and liked when they introduced more tension and drama into the mix as well. I look forward to hearing more of this in the future.