Dreamslain, the trio from Northern Norway, draw together progressive elements with epic metal to produce a dynamic sound that has a powerful impact. Their new album, ‘Tales of Knights and Distant Worlds’, delivers an intriguing array of moods and musical exploration.

‘Knights of La Mancha’ sees a delicate piano melody lead with aggressive vocals and heavy instrumentation accompanying. It’s quite a stark contrast which produces an interesting overall effect. It’s great to hear the piano so high in the mix as its often lost, and I really enjoy the vocal style. Igor Jakobsen’s vocals have a powerful tone that is fitting with the melodic side of their sound, it really complements the lyrical themes that run throughout this album. His harsh vocals introduce another heavy texture that really emphasises the more dramatic sections. Guitar leads and melodies are a significant aspect of this album. The alternating melodies on the keys and guitars in ‘Knights of La Mancha’ and ‘My Mask’ work really well. The musical conversation that appears to be going on is really effective, and they’re carried nicely by the rhythm instrumentation underneath.

I’m pleased they chose to include so many prominent organ parts across the album. The opening track, ‘He Who Rises In Force’, throws the essence of their sound (organ included!) out there from the off. The vast array of influences is shown off from classic rock aspects, to melodic and even a hint of gothic. It’s not my absolute favourite organ tone, but it does suit the 70s influences that come across in parts of the instrumentation. ‘Cosmonautics’ is a great example of how to fit organ into a metal track if its something you’re not overly familiar with. Dreamslain aren’t afraid of longer tracks to fully explore and develop their ideas with the majority of tracks on the album being around the 10-minute mark. Most of the tracks don’t actually feel this long when listening to them because the flow so well.

Dreamslain have created an incredibly dynamic album that brings all of their ideas and technical skills together into a jam-packed release. They have a unique sound which they explore in various forms throughout the album. The trio have huge potential and it’ll be great to see how they grow.

Track List:

1 – He Who Rises In Force
2 – Knights Of La Mancha
3 – My Mask
4 – The Fall Of The Elven Lord
5 – Cosmonautics
6 – Ownership Denied
7 – Shadow Warriors
8 – Tale Of The Copper Guard
9 – In Memory Of Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Bonus Track)

RELEASE DATE: 29^th JANUARY 2021

Line-up: Anna Loppacher – Keyboards and Bass Pedals | Daniel Paulsen Figenschou – Drums | Igor Jakobsen – Guitars and Vocals

Genre: Epic Metal / Progressive Rock

For fans of: Cirith Ungol | Uriah Heep | Enslaved | Manilla Road

Socials:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Dreamslain/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamslain_metal_band/