Review Summary: Like a giant smashing down the floodgates.
Cnoc an Tursa is a largely unknown, up and coming Celtic inspired black metal band. Their sound is reminiscent of charging down rolling meadows, pike in hand into the clashing of iron that comes alongside war. Maybe not the realistic picture, but the glorified bad-assery we wish it was. This album harnesses so much pure energy with absolutely crushing, raspy and somewhat thrash inspired shrieks alongside just straight up amazing riffs. The album bashes down all walls after around a full minute of gorgeous acoustic strumming. The blasting chant is honestly the most energetic and possibly one of the best album openers i've come across yet, and all around "The Piper O' Dundee" might be one of the most memorable songs off the entire album.
The energy is relentless, nothing is lost two tracks in, nothing is lost ten tracks in. This may be in part due to the diverse nature of the guitar work and the weaving of occasional melody and symphonies that constantly instill life into the album. At every point this album is bursting at the seams with vigor. Amazing tremolo and melodic riffs, alongside the blizzard of drumming make this album an odd yet perfectly balanced mix of being furious and powerful yet calm and symphonic. Beauty might be used sparingly, but enough to enhance the already present power on this album.
By the last track you have seen song after song building upon each other, reassembling from where the last song left off. It grows slightly more epic, more grand in scale, closing with the noticeably more slow burning song "Culloden Moor", where the album finally begins to signal its end. Then the somber, pristine elegy of a track closes out, almost like that dreaded but incredible final chapter to a really good book. This song is "Blar Na-Easglise Brice", where tranquil flutes and very faint synthesizers close out the album. The pain and suffering of the war is over, brothers stand above slain brothers. The image that this track paints is especially gorgeous.
The album is a balance of epic scales, of a story told through the eyes of a stalwart warrior, and ending in a mix of depression and beauty. The only even mildly negative aspect of this album is that it takes numerous listens before it sinks in how well crafted it is. Everything fits like a splendid mosaic. A harmonious myriad of emotions.
