Todesbonden – Stormbringer EP
Pale Moon Records – 2004
By Jason Jordan
It’s cold, but the boat is nearing land. As soon as the mist dispels, we’re able to see her. She is the motherland. She is Scotland. That’s what the opening – “Sun and Venus” – of the
Stormbringer EP brings to mind. Similarly,
Todesbonden has a lot of potential, the EP is a manifestation of it, and I’m ecstatic to think about what they’ll craft in a legitimate studio (with real drums).
“Stormbringer” nods its head appropriately towards
My Dying Bride, and all other notable doom bands. Hans’s (vocals, keyboards, composition) female vox are magnificent, grandiose, and are only briefly tested on
Stormbringer EP. Sticking with moroseness is “March of the Cicadas.” In the aforementioned, all the adjectives used in the biography come to life such as “Celtic,” “medieval,” and “atmospheric.” Geddes’s violin is absolutely stunning, and adds so much to the pieces; violin is truly a majestic instrument when used in accordance with proper arrangements. The eighteen-minute EP is finalized with the keyboard-heavy “Dark Horns.” Like past excursions, the piano lifts the song off of the ground while Hans’s vocalizations complement; the riffs are predominantly used in the background for rhythmical purposes, though a minimalist evidently orchestrated the programmed drums. Violins appear once again.
Todesbonden have really impressed me with the
Stormbringer EP. There’s no reason to explicate further, but I’m anticipating the quotient the band arrives at after utilizing the services of a proper studio and musicians.
7.5/10
Official Todesbonden website
Official Pale Moon Records website
