Gloryhammer - Tales from the Kingdom of Fife

Last Updated on Monday, 04 March 2013 18:03 Written by EvaLantsoght

Artist: Gloryhammer

Album: Tales from the Kingdom of Fife

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: power metal

Website: https://www.gloryhammer.com/

Gloryhammer, the side project of Christopher Bowes from the pirate metal band Alestorm, have released their debut album Tales from the Kingdom of Fife – an album centered around Scotland and fantasy.

Tales from the Kingdom of Fife takes you to an alternate history of Scotland, ruled by magic, dark sorcery and random unicorns.

Gloryhammer took all the elements of power metal, blew them up to a grotesque caricature, and yet they deliver the final product with so much conviction that you'd think they are really serious about this gimmick.

If you're not convinced about the absurd level of the power metal cliches in Tales from the Kingdom of fife, just have a look at some of the track titles: “The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee”, “Angus McFife” or “The Epic Rage of Furious Thunder.”

The curious thing about Gloryhammer is that, regardless of the terrible collection of Bad Taste, their music actually kicks ass like the best power metal.

Gloryhammer seems to mock Rhapsody, the Italian power metal band that lost their groove and changed their name somewhere while working on an overly ambitious seven-album project. The storyline elements are the same, the symphonic passages a bit similar, but Gloryhammer knows when to pull a shouting vocal and a dubble bass.

If these descriptions of unicorn invasions, double basses and powerful heroic fantasy metal make your heart beat a little faster, make sure to check out Tales from the Kingdom of Fife. You might be doubting between banging your head and laughing at the over-the-top lyrics and power metal elements.