CLAYMOREAN is a metal band from Serbia who formed in 1994. They haven't been very prolific as "Eulogy For The Gods" is just their fifth full length. I want to say it is quality over quantity but, unfortunately, I have to admit this album is disappointing. On paper, it seems like something special. CLAYMOREAN has stuffed "Eulogy For The Gods" with elements of power, traditional and even doom metal. The atmosphere is both epic and old school.  The biggest red flag for me is the best song on the album, "The Burning Of Rome" isn't even their song, it is a Virgin Steele cover.  Sure, musically, the band does a decent job by making it sound more modern but the songwriting itself has nothing to do with them.

If they had put as much attention into their own songs as this one, I could see the album getting a higher rating. With that being said, the cover does have one problem that plagues the rest of the album:  Dejana's vocals. At best, they are average but at worse, I find her rather hard to listen to. When her vocals in a lower register or throwing in the occasional rough growls, she is decent but when she shouts, screams or tries to sound like HALFORD or DICKINSON, her vocals turn corny and it sounds like she is in pain. The album opens with "Hunter of the Damned," and while it is energetic with some killer bass, the riffs are uninspired. The vocals pull me out of the music anyway so I suppose it doesn't matter how bland anything is. If Dejana had stuck with a regular singing voice and the guitars matched the solid rhythm section of bass and drums, the song would be much more effective.

"Lords Of Light," is a step in the right direction. The song's slower, more methodical approach gives the music more time to sink in. It helps that, as longer song, more time passes without being subjected to the vocals as well. "In The Tombs Of Atuan," has some good moments of melody from the guitar and Dejana's vocals are more tolerable. Unfortunately, the song is too short to really go anywhere and some of the riffs are just basic power/thrash that was old hat thirty years ago.  This is such a frustrating listen, to be honest.  For every good thing, there is an opposite to knock it down.   Good solos and melody for the guitar?  Uninteresting riffs.   A good low to mid range singing voice?  Other ranges aren't easy to ignore.  Excellent rhythm foundation?  It isn't supporting anything I want to hear again.   Even the production is two faced: it sounds loud and clear but perhaps too much so, as it likes bite.

As it stands, I just can't recommend this album. I listened to it several times but it just never clicked for me and I don't see myself ever returning to it. Not a terrible album but a boring one without much charm.