During the first half of the 90s, the world saw the rise of the Second Wave of Black Metal, unleashed by the polemic events that took place on Norway, but that made people (and Metal fans) aware that Black Metal wasn’t dead, and the genre came back with full force. But again: besides the polemic of arsons and others on Norway, many acts were laying on the underground scene on many countries, including on England. And even now, after 30 years, the lands of the Once and Future King gives birth to new good acts as FELLWARDEN, here with its third album, “Legend: Forged in Defiance”.

The Watcher (recording of guitars and vocals), Scott McLean (recordings of drums) and Mark Harrington (recordings of bass) along with Chris Fielding (mixing and mastering) worked in a way to give the album a somber and hard sonority that depicts the roots of English Black Metal, with that moldy and sinister appeal, but in a way that the songs can be absorbed without problems (but it could be a bit cleaner and defined than it is). And the cover is a fine work of the Belgian master of visual arts Kris Verwimp. And the band has as guests Adam Allain (choirs) and Sean Darling (narration), along with the session players (because the band is focused on only one member, Frank Allain).

Musically, the album delivers an old form of Epic/Atmospheric Black Metal that was usual during the early years of the Second Wave of Black Metal, with some similarities to acts as EWIGKEIT (during “Battle Furies” days), the ample use of keyboards and acoustic guitars (as heard on some parts of “Desperation”). It means that some contrasts between aggressive parts and introspective Folk moments are shown in a personal way. For Black Metal fans, it’s a delight!

The album is homogeneous in terms of musical expressions (with very long songs), so it’s not simple to choose better songs between “Exultance” (especially due the contrasts between harsh and clean vocals), “Despair” (there are moments when the feeling reminds the hearers of something as a MANOWAR in a Black Metal shape due the strong epic feeling on the slower parts), “Renewed Hope” (brutal and technical parts of bass guitar and drums can be heard due the Folk/Pagan ambiences, with very good guitar riffs), “Desperation” (the introspective parts with acoustic guitars and whispering vocals are excellent), “Serenity” and “Death” (an extremely melancholic moment, indeed). On the physical version (the CD version) there is a bonus track, “Hope Renews Again”, that follows the same tendency of the other songs.

After all, it must be said that it’s good to hear an album as “Legend: Forged in Defiance”, that keeps the old flame alive. And FELLWARDEN surely has a space in today’s scene.