Review by Brexaul on July 20, 2022.

A long-awaited debut in the power metal circles, Fellowship’s first full-length effort somehow ticks all the right boxes. Why 'somehow' you dare ask? Let me explain… this is so far away from what I usually seek in power metal nowadays that I still can’t believe I enjoyed it so much. I mean, not 30 seconds after pressing play I could fill the cheese filling my body. A sugary overload of major key songs and happy vibes. What the hell?

The overjoyous feeling gives room to some slightly more dramatic twists that add a pleasant change and diversity to their music, but for the most part their songs are oozing with that feelgood (Disney?) heroic vibes that as soon as the album runs its course, you suddenly find yourself in your happy place wanting more. Hell, it’s dopamine metal, I now officially coin the term.

I’ve seen some people comparing them to Dragonforce or Twilight Symphony, but in this reviewer’s humble opinion both those bands never got near to the quality presented here. Fellowship managed to blend their influences so well that their take on the genre sounds like the real deal, not too original, but confident and brimming with quality songwriting.

The musicianship is obviously A-class and I was super stoked to see a drummer finally having songwriting credits, with Callum Taffen penning almost half of the songs! I’ll also have to make a special mention to both Sam Browne and Brad Wosko, who do a HELL of a job with the guitars with amazing solos and a stellar performance throughout, I’d dare say they are one of the greatest guitar duo in recent memory. Matthew Corry is not your typical fantasy power metal vocalist but he kicks major ass. His emotional performance is great and guides you through the chapters of the concept with enough conviction to get invested in the story. The sound is also very well balanced, a great mix that does justice to all instruments and serves the general mood of each song perfectly.

Now for a couple of minor flaws in my eyes: I wasn’t able to get behind the story too much although I had access to the lyrics, (maybe this will be addressed better in the physical version) but it felt a bit too vague to classify as a cinematic concept album which I imagine it’s what the band was going for. Also the album is a bit longer than I would have wanted, with some inevitable dip in quality at some points and truth be told, it could have been a flawless experience by simply removing two or three tracks altogether.

Fret not though, my nitpicking is not here to cast an inch of shadow to this fantastic album. Every person that lends his ear to Fellowship will be certainly rewarded cause The Saberlight Chronicles ultimately offers a very feelgood, exhilarating experience that reminds us why we fell in love with this music in the first place. With a few tweaks here and there, we can expect a true masterpiece down the road!

Worthy tracks to check: any random pick would be rewarding, but try 'Oak And Ash' or 'The Saint Beyond The River' to get a good taste of awesome.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Lynxie on June 2, 2022.

The UK based symphonic power metal newcomers Fellowship have been on my radar for quite some time now. Indeed, 'Glint' was and still is an occasional favorite. By this point though, they've had me quite convinced that history goes in circles, especially in the case of power metal. My point is, this wouldn't have sounded out of place under Twilight Force, or, to trace it even more backwards, Rhapsody Of Fire. Even their members' attire gives off that Twilight Force vibe - I'm positive I've seen that costume on that elven assassin guitarist in the said band. Now, I've had my fair share of gimmick bands and, truth to be told, my capacity is at an end. So yeah, I was pretty relieved when I saw they'd used no alter ego on stage.

As far as the debut album goes, The Saberlight Chronicles is pretty solid. Admittedly, I was skeptical at the first track - that opening was as Disney as it can get, and I basically winced every time I hear that pump-up orchestra or those faintly annoying tinkling of bells. Then my opinion improved when it comes to the infectious chorus. Of course, seeing as Fellowship is another band hailing to the Golden Age, most compositing are along the line of their more fluffy and delicate Italian peers with an uncanny resemblance to Twilight Force. I don't really know whether or not that is a point that buggers me, but this LP is certainly growing on me. And they'd kept a strong and steady rhythm section that tickled my fancy, especially on the bridge and chorus in 'Hearts Upon The Hill', not to mention the overall impressive solos with their Freedom Call energy.

Mind, I'm not exactly what you would call a symphonic power metal fan, and Twilight Force's notorious sophomore release did not help to improve my impression of the said genre. But this one is good, this one may even merit an ''Excellent'' by my standards. The guitar sound is not drowned out by the orchestra - my usual complaint when it comes to symphonic stuff- 'Oaks And Ash' even achieved a certain amount of heaviness in the riff. The melodies attained all the flower virtues of the likes of Twilight Force and Majestica and the solos are as flourish and majestic as can be. There's a certain sense of fluency as well, since the hooks and occasional switch of drum patterns manage to draw my attention back everytime it wanders. As to the lyrics, they'd covered topics of unity and joining up to fight (or is it just fight?) and seeking glory... you know, the good ol' cheesy nonsense that is so characteristic of Dragonforce, which do look rather ridiculous on paper, but sounds extremely upbeat and glorious to one's ears. Even the repetitive line of ''And now I'm left fighting on my own'' in 'The Hours of Wintertime' was not as dreary as I'd feared (Aye, 'Reveries' scarred me for life). And I bet they're tons of fun live - I could just hear the crowd bellowing along ''All the scars and shrapnel wounds well they ache with every movement'' or ''For the saints beyond the river I will take another step''. Bonus points to the 9 min 'Avalon' with all its Rhapsody epicness.

Just one small complaint here. Even after my customary three spins I still find Matthew Corry's vocal works lacking a bit of power, a bit of pushing feeling that might've carried the choruses better. So the ballad 'Silhouette' had dragged down the whole dynamic of the album and and ruined the next song for me as well - hardly a surprise since I relied heavily on vocals to make ballads interesting. Still, not even Tommy Johansson was all that impressive back on his debut in Reinxeed, and Matthew may improve yet.

Normally, I prefer heavy/thrash power or the old school power metal that the Germans play so well, so I do judge most symphonic power metal harsher than necessary. By that light I am actually quite impressed with this release. I'll venture to say a new star has arisen in the genre and as long as they don't turn over much Disney, I'll have no reason to complain.

Note to self: I would definitely recommend this to several of my friends seeing as how many Twilight Force or Majestica fanboys and fangirl I'd known.

Highlights: 'Atlas', 'Oak And Ash', 'Scars And Shrapnel Wounds', 'Glint', 'The Saint Beyond The River'

Rating: 8.3 out of 10

Review by Brexaul on July 20, 2022.

A long-awaited debut in the power metal circles, Fellowship’s first full-length effort somehow ticks all the right boxes. Why 'somehow' you dare ask? Let me explain… this is so far away from what I usually seek in power metal nowadays that I still can’t believe I enjoyed it so much. I mean, not 30 seconds after pressing play I could fill the cheese filling my body. A sugary overload of major key songs and happy vibes. What the hell?

The overjoyous feeling gives room to some slightly more dramatic twists that add a pleasant change and diversity to their music, but for the most part their songs are oozing with that feelgood (Disney?) heroic vibes that as soon as the album runs its course, you suddenly find yourself in your happy place wanting more. Hell, it’s dopamine metal, I now officially coin the term.

I’ve seen some people comparing them to Dragonforce or Twilight Symphony, but in this reviewer’s humble opinion both those bands never got near to the quality presented here. Fellowship managed to blend their influences so well that their take on the genre sounds like the real deal, not too original, but confident and brimming with quality songwriting.

The musicianship is obviously A-class and I was super stoked to see a drummer finally having songwriting credits, with Callum Taffen penning almost half of the songs! I’ll also have to make a special mention to both Sam Browne and Brad Wosko, who do a HELL of a job with the guitars with amazing solos and a stellar performance throughout, I’d dare say they are one of the greatest guitar duo in recent memory. Matthew Corry is not your typical fantasy power metal vocalist but he kicks major ass. His emotional performance is great and guides you through the chapters of the concept with enough conviction to get invested in the story. The sound is also very well balanced, a great mix that does justice to all instruments and serves the general mood of each song perfectly.

Now for a couple of minor flaws in my eyes: I wasn’t able to get behind the story too much although I had access to the lyrics, (maybe this will be addressed better in the physical version) but it felt a bit too vague to classify as a cinematic concept album which I imagine it’s what the band was going for. Also the album is a bit longer than I would have wanted, with some inevitable dip in quality at some points and truth be told, it could have been a flawless experience by simply removing two or three tracks altogether.

Fret not though, my nitpicking is not here to cast an inch of shadow to this fantastic album. Every person that lends his ear to Fellowship will be certainly rewarded cause The Saberlight Chronicles ultimately offers a very feelgood, exhilarating experience that reminds us why we fell in love with this music in the first place. With a few tweaks here and there, we can expect a true masterpiece down the road!

Worthy tracks to check: any random pick would be rewarding, but try 'Oak And Ash' or 'The Saint Beyond The River' to get a good taste of awesome.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Lynxie on June 2, 2022.

The UK based symphonic power metal newcomers Fellowship have been on my radar for quite some time now. Indeed, 'Glint' was and still is an occasional favorite. By this point though, they've had me quite convinced that history goes in circles, especially in the case of power metal. My point is, this wouldn't have sounded out of place under Twilight Force, or, to trace it even more backwards, Rhapsody Of Fire. Even their members' attire gives off that Twilight Force vibe - I'm positive I've seen that costume on that elven assassin guitarist in the said band. Now, I've had my fair share of gimmick bands and, truth to be told, my capacity is at an end. So yeah, I was pretty relieved when I saw they'd used no alter ego on stage.

As far as the debut album goes, The Saberlight Chronicles is pretty solid. Admittedly, I was skeptical at the first track - that opening was as Disney as it can get, and I basically winced every time I hear that pump-up orchestra or those faintly annoying tinkling of bells. Then my opinion improved when it comes to the infectious chorus. Of course, seeing as Fellowship is another band hailing to the Golden Age, most compositing are along the line of their more fluffy and delicate Italian peers with an uncanny resemblance to Twilight Force. I don't really know whether or not that is a point that buggers me, but this LP is certainly growing on me. And they'd kept a strong and steady rhythm section that tickled my fancy, especially on the bridge and chorus in 'Hearts Upon The Hill', not to mention the overall impressive solos with their Freedom Call energy.

Mind, I'm not exactly what you would call a symphonic power metal fan, and Twilight Force's notorious sophomore release did not help to improve my impression of the said genre. But this one is good, this one may even merit an ''Excellent'' by my standards. The guitar sound is not drowned out by the orchestra - my usual complaint when it comes to symphonic stuff- 'Oaks And Ash' even achieved a certain amount of heaviness in the riff. The melodies attained all the flower virtues of the likes of Twilight Force and Majestica and the solos are as flourish and majestic as can be. There's a certain sense of fluency as well, since the hooks and occasional switch of drum patterns manage to draw my attention back everytime it wanders. As to the lyrics, they'd covered topics of unity and joining up to fight (or is it just fight?) and seeking glory... you know, the good ol' cheesy nonsense that is so characteristic of Dragonforce, which do look rather ridiculous on paper, but sounds extremely upbeat and glorious to one's ears. Even the repetitive line of ''And now I'm left fighting on my own'' in 'The Hours of Wintertime' was not as dreary as I'd feared (Aye, 'Reveries' scarred me for life). And I bet they're tons of fun live - I could just hear the crowd bellowing along ''All the scars and shrapnel wounds well they ache with every movement'' or ''For the saints beyond the river I will take another step''. Bonus points to the 9 min 'Avalon' with all its Rhapsody epicness.

Just one small complaint here. Even after my customary three spins I still find Matthew Corry's vocal works lacking a bit of power, a bit of pushing feeling that might've carried the choruses better. So the ballad 'Silhouette' had dragged down the whole dynamic of the album and and ruined the next song for me as well - hardly a surprise since I relied heavily on vocals to make ballads interesting. Still, not even Tommy Johansson was all that impressive back on his debut in Reinxeed, and Matthew may improve yet.

Normally, I prefer heavy/thrash power or the old school power metal that the Germans play so well, so I do judge most symphonic power metal harsher than necessary. By that light I am actually quite impressed with this release. I'll venture to say a new star has arisen in the genre and as long as they don't turn over much Disney, I'll have no reason to complain.

Note to self: I would definitely recommend this to several of my friends seeing as how many Twilight Force or Majestica fanboys and fangirl I'd known.

Highlights: 'Atlas', 'Oak And Ash', 'Scars And Shrapnel Wounds', 'Glint', 'The Saint Beyond The River'

Rating: 8.3 out of 10

Review by Brexaul on July 20, 2022.

A long-awaited debut in the power metal circles, Fellowship’s first full-length effort somehow ticks all the right boxes. Why 'somehow' you dare ask? Let me explain… this is so far away from what I usually seek in power metal nowadays that I still can’t believe I enjoyed it so much. I mean, not 30 seconds after pressing play I could fill the cheese filling my body. A sugary overload of major key songs and happy vibes. What the hell?

The overjoyous feeling gives room to some slightly more dramatic twists that add a pleasant change and diversity to their music, but for the most part their songs are oozing with that feelgood (Disney?) heroic vibes that as soon as the album runs its course, you suddenly find yourself in your happy place wanting more. Hell, it’s dopamine metal, I now officially coin the term.

I’ve seen some people comparing them to Dragonforce or Twilight Symphony, but in this reviewer’s humble opinion both those bands never got near to the quality presented here. Fellowship managed to blend their influences so well that their take on the genre sounds like the real deal, not too original, but confident and brimming with quality songwriting.

The musicianship is obviously A-class and I was super stoked to see a drummer finally having songwriting credits, with Callum Taffen penning almost half of the songs! I’ll also have to make a special mention to both Sam Browne and Brad Wosko, who do a HELL of a job with the guitars with amazing solos and a stellar performance throughout, I’d dare say they are one of the greatest guitar duo in recent memory. Matthew Corry is not your typical fantasy power metal vocalist but he kicks major ass. His emotional performance is great and guides you through the chapters of the concept with enough conviction to get invested in the story. The sound is also very well balanced, a great mix that does justice to all instruments and serves the general mood of each song perfectly.

Now for a couple of minor flaws in my eyes: I wasn’t able to get behind the story too much although I had access to the lyrics, (maybe this will be addressed better in the physical version) but it felt a bit too vague to classify as a cinematic concept album which I imagine it’s what the band was going for. Also the album is a bit longer than I would have wanted, with some inevitable dip in quality at some points and truth be told, it could have been a flawless experience by simply removing two or three tracks altogether.

Fret not though, my nitpicking is not here to cast an inch of shadow to this fantastic album. Every person that lends his ear to Fellowship will be certainly rewarded cause The Saberlight Chronicles ultimately offers a very feelgood, exhilarating experience that reminds us why we fell in love with this music in the first place. With a few tweaks here and there, we can expect a true masterpiece down the road!

Worthy tracks to check: any random pick would be rewarding, but try 'Oak And Ash' or 'The Saint Beyond The River' to get a good taste of awesome.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Lynxie on June 2, 2022.

The UK based symphonic power metal newcomers Fellowship have been on my radar for quite some time now. Indeed, 'Glint' was and still is an occasional favorite. By this point though, they've had me quite convinced that history goes in circles, especially in the case of power metal. My point is, this wouldn't have sounded out of place under Twilight Force, or, to trace it even more backwards, Rhapsody Of Fire. Even their members' attire gives off that Twilight Force vibe - I'm positive I've seen that costume on that elven assassin guitarist in the said band. Now, I've had my fair share of gimmick bands and, truth to be told, my capacity is at an end. So yeah, I was pretty relieved when I saw they'd used no alter ego on stage.

As far as the debut album goes, The Saberlight Chronicles is pretty solid. Admittedly, I was skeptical at the first track - that opening was as Disney as it can get, and I basically winced every time I hear that pump-up orchestra or those faintly annoying tinkling of bells. Then my opinion improved when it comes to the infectious chorus. Of course, seeing as Fellowship is another band hailing to the Golden Age, most compositing are along the line of their more fluffy and delicate Italian peers with an uncanny resemblance to Twilight Force. I don't really know whether or not that is a point that buggers me, but this LP is certainly growing on me. And they'd kept a strong and steady rhythm section that tickled my fancy, especially on the bridge and chorus in 'Hearts Upon The Hill', not to mention the overall impressive solos with their Freedom Call energy.

Mind, I'm not exactly what you would call a symphonic power metal fan, and Twilight Force's notorious sophomore release did not help to improve my impression of the said genre. But this one is good, this one may even merit an ''Excellent'' by my standards. The guitar sound is not drowned out by the orchestra - my usual complaint when it comes to symphonic stuff- 'Oaks And Ash' even achieved a certain amount of heaviness in the riff. The melodies attained all the flower virtues of the likes of Twilight Force and Majestica and the solos are as flourish and majestic as can be. There's a certain sense of fluency as well, since the hooks and occasional switch of drum patterns manage to draw my attention back everytime it wanders. As to the lyrics, they'd covered topics of unity and joining up to fight (or is it just fight?) and seeking glory... you know, the good ol' cheesy nonsense that is so characteristic of Dragonforce, which do look rather ridiculous on paper, but sounds extremely upbeat and glorious to one's ears. Even the repetitive line of ''And now I'm left fighting on my own'' in 'The Hours of Wintertime' was not as dreary as I'd feared (Aye, 'Reveries' scarred me for life). And I bet they're tons of fun live - I could just hear the crowd bellowing along ''All the scars and shrapnel wounds well they ache with every movement'' or ''For the saints beyond the river I will take another step''. Bonus points to the 9 min 'Avalon' with all its Rhapsody epicness.

Just one small complaint here. Even after my customary three spins I still find Matthew Corry's vocal works lacking a bit of power, a bit of pushing feeling that might've carried the choruses better. So the ballad 'Silhouette' had dragged down the whole dynamic of the album and and ruined the next song for me as well - hardly a surprise since I relied heavily on vocals to make ballads interesting. Still, not even Tommy Johansson was all that impressive back on his debut in Reinxeed, and Matthew may improve yet.

Normally, I prefer heavy/thrash power or the old school power metal that the Germans play so well, so I do judge most symphonic power metal harsher than necessary. By that light I am actually quite impressed with this release. I'll venture to say a new star has arisen in the genre and as long as they don't turn over much Disney, I'll have no reason to complain.

Note to self: I would definitely recommend this to several of my friends seeing as how many Twilight Force or Majestica fanboys and fangirl I'd known.

Highlights: 'Atlas', 'Oak And Ash', 'Scars And Shrapnel Wounds', 'Glint', 'The Saint Beyond The River'

Rating: 8.3 out of 10

Review by Felix on November 26, 2022.

After 4 years of silence, Korgonthurus returned with “Kuolleestasyntynyt” (what a title!) in 2020. I was sceptical, because “Vuohen siunaus” had failed to leave a lasting impression on me. But nobody is immune to learning.”Born of Death” (to use the English translation) shows the band in a pretty good form. Right from the beginning, the mega-heavy first number, simutaneously the title track, will open your eyes and, more important, your ears.

“Kuolleestasyntynyt” (the song) resembles an old, heavy, iron locomotive that is slow to get going. It rumbles, it hisses, it lets steam off. It brings the traveller to the deepest pits of hell, to its blazing flames, to the Apocalypse in acoustic form. A totally black cosmos devours everything and the final thought before entering the afterlife is: if all tracks reach this level, the album deserves a 100% rating. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The first track remains the best one, but this does not mean that only lukewarm material follows.

Korgonthurus play many trump cards. They offer nerve-shattering guitar lines, a vocalist whose last mission is to destroy his voice by his very throaty approach and uttermost raging drums during the fast parts. High velocity is not omnipresent here, but the four-piece also does not shy away from rapid sections. The substance of the single songs justifies their average length of more than six minutes, only the closer with its calm outro could have benefited from reduction. On the other hand, the shortest track, “Riivattu”, is the one that comes closest to the opener. It provides a hellish overall picture, a bombardment of rapidly changing but always ominous scenarios. Options to escape? None. This is also due to the production. It mirrors pure blackness and sets the frame to express nothing but misanthropy. The guitars have a sinister basic tone, the different instruments (including the voice) are well-balanced and everything reeks of rot and death. In view of this mix, the gang from Suomi almost shows a cannibalistic, barbaric touch.

Unfortunately, the two tracks at the album’s end fall back on an only solid level. Neither disappointing, nor really thrilling, the full-length clocks in at nearly 39 minutes. Anyway, the trend is your friend and Korgonthurus are on the right way. The stylish design of the booklet (atmospheric artwork, black metal compatible paintings inside) underlines this thesis. Let’s see what their fourth album will deliver – I am curious. If they optimise their meditative, rather quiet parts or cut back their share in favour of Nordic frenzy, they can catch up with the top of the Finnish troops. I’m sure they have more songs up their sleeves like “Kuolleestasyntynyt”.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Review by Fernando on April 9, 2020.

Finland needs no introduction when it comes to black metal, and from the myriad of bands that country has given the world, Korgonthurus is certainly a name to reckon.

This band is primarily known for being co-founded by Corvus, the former vocalist of Finnish black metal luminaries Horna, who also is the most recognizable since he participated in arguably that band’s best albums. But Horna is Corvus’ past; today he lends his unique blood curdling screeches to Korgonthurus. This band can be considered old; founded in 2000 by Corvus and drummer Kryth, the band has had a very rocky existence. Marred by inactivity, a rotating lineup and at least two major breakups which resulted in a two-decade old band only having three full length albums and various splits and EP releases, the band has been able to power through those tribulations and in 2020 they brought their third album which, in my humble opinion might be their finest work yet.

The thing that makes Kuolleestasyntynyt and Korgonthurus as a whole stand out is how their chosen style of black metal is unlike anything you might’ve heard before. The simplest way to describe this band’s sound is as a melting pot of a lot of sounds with the most noteworthy thing being how their music in this particular album sound and feels violent. There’s a near palpable sense of pure anger and violence in the music that is unlike any other black metal band out there and what’s more impressive is how this violence the band has in their music doesn’t sound forced or artificial. This isn’t the sound of some edgy idiot with the maturity of a 13 year old atheist, or some misanthrope who takes himself dead serious to the detriment that their music would make; it’s kind of shocking but also impressive how abrasive and violent the music on this album sounds.

It’s hard to explain how all the individual instruments and performances manage to make this album sound so aggressive and caustic as what creates this sound is the band’s work as a unit. The most noteworthy part is the guitar work of both Corvus and Insanis Xul, if anything it’s in the guitar work where the key to all this chaotic soundscape. Corvus and Insanis Xul’s guitars have a distinct sound that’s very groovy for a black metal album but without any semblance of genre crosspollination. It’s still black metal, it still has the tremolo picking and riffs and they even manage to add some of the signature somber melodies that are a trademark of Finnish black metal, but they do so in a way that enriches the overall sound of the album, making it very dynamic and without being beholden to the tropes and formulas of this particular regional style. The thing I’ve been saying over and over is how the music is so violent throughout, the overall atmosphere of this album is one of utter desperation, like a warrior lost in a dark forest who has lost everything and has nothing but a desire to kill everything and everyone in its path with utmost cruelty imaginable.

A large part of what gives this impression are the vocals of Corvus. He has always been known for his Nazgul like shrieks that are emblematic of black metal. You can appreciate it on the Horna albums he made as well as the first two Korgonthurus albums but for this particular one he seems to have reached a whole new level. His vocal work here is so intense, so unnerving and so unhinged that it might be too much to handle, especially if you aren’t familiar with the black metal. The last noteworthy aspect of course is the drumming and bass work, both handled by co-founder Kryth. Years of experience have honed his drumming skills and in here he plays with organic precision going from unswerving speed to a more controlled mid-tempo for the melodic parts where the album enters somber atmospherics, although he seems to shine more on the bass, being able to match the abrasiveness of the guitars. Overall all the members succeed and the final product speaks for itself.

With all that praise out of the way it’s worth mentioning that this album is very much a black metal album and not at all newbie friendly. In fact, given how intense and unforgiving the music is, if you’re interested in this band I highly recommend listening to their second album first (and as a warning you shouldn’t expect Korgonthurus to be anything like Horna) as it has nothing in common with Korgonthurus other than the fact that Corvus used to sing for that band. This album plays on the hardest difficulty and it will put you to the test.

Best tracks: 'Kuolleestasyntynyt', 'Syyttäjäenkeli', 'Riivattu', 'Yön Lapsi','Nox'

Rating: 9 out of 10