Review Summary: And I’ll set this world on fire just to hear you call my name
As Bergfriend’s first proper full-length and the culmination of the two EPs before it, the group find themselves in an interesting position with Romantik III. The album doubles down on the polished steps that came with 2023’s Romantik II, boasting pristine production that allows for even more bombastic performances while honing in the AOR elements atop a melodic metal foundation. It sounds like what would happen if Bonnie Tyler fronted Iron Maiden for a spell and had Jim Steinman oversee it all.
True to that premise and boosted by an expanded cast of guest players, the musicianship here is at its most over the top. You can hear those arena rock sensibilities shine through in the drums, which are considerably beefed up from the EPs with an echoing boom indicative of those eighties vibes. The bass and rhythm guitars also provide some extra muscle while the leads and synths maintain a battle for atmospheric supremacy. It’s also neat to see that expansion also includes multiple vocalists, providing some extra character and fleshing out the field without going full Avantasia.
Thankfully this extravagance is still kept in check with the layers never getting in the way of the songwriting and the length sitting at a perfectly reasonable forty-three minutes. “Dark Wings” starts the album off with the style blend at its most synergetic, pairing its pulsating beat and explosive chorus with a riffy undercurrent. In a certain sense, perhaps there are some “Holding Out For A Hero” aspirations being realized here.
Subsequent tracks play with contrasts while maintaining an optimistic spirit. The speeding guitar flurries on “Queen of the Dead” and “Gates of Fate” are straight up power metal complete with the most uplifting choruses while “Serenades” and “Star-Crossed Love” hit the piano ballad turned rocker template that would do Queen proud and “Tears Of A Thousand Years” has an almost heavy disco shuffle. There are admittedly moments on tracks like “Fallen From Grace” and “For The Cursed” where one can hear some fumbles in their setups, but the follow through they put on those choruses ultimately help them come out robust.
It’s quite impressive to see just how far Bergfried has come in just three years with Romantik III. While this sort of heavy AOR can feel like a world away from the lofi folk metal seen on 2022’s Romantik I, the group’s consistent characterization and dedication to this multi-release saga make it feel more like the realization of a vision they’ve had all along rather than any drastic tangents. At the same time, there’s an accessible appeal at play here that lends itself just as well to a first time listener. I’m not sure if this is the end of the Romanik storyline but one can imagine even more places to go in the future.
