NAUFRAGANT
“A Short Life”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Naufragant are a power metal band from Argentina, originally forming as Skull & Bones in 2011, changing their name to Naufragant in 2015, and releasing ‘A Short Life’ – their debut – in 2022.

Well ahoy me hearties! An’ ye be welcome to the seven seas o’ Naufragant – a “gentlemen o’ fortune” – aka pirate – metal crew very much in the vein o’ legendary bands such as Running Wild an’ Blazon Stone. For fifty two swashbuckling minutes, the Argentinean outfit weigh anchor an’ set sail on a voyage o’ head bang-able heavy, power metal. ‘The Oath’ be a one minute effects laden an’ tension filled intro, leading straight into the galloping ‘The Black Corsair’. An’ a pummelling heavy metal sound mixed with the bands root power metal influence. Comparisons with the gentlemen o’ fortune metal pioneers Running Wild be obvious – an’ this here’ll be the one an’ only time I compare the two bands! ‘The Black Corsair’ be an elegant romp, an infectious an’ head bangingly addictive voyage that there eases ye in to the album. For ‘On The Traitor’s Trace’ picks up the pace an’ storms furiously on, defiantly planting one foot on the monitor, an’ parading the classic sounding gallop o’ traditional heavy metal – all the while weaving European power metal traits into their soundscape. Naufragant may be eight thousand miles away from Europe, but lad do they carry off the European power metal sound so well.

All power an’ oomph is dropped in favour o’ a mellow hymn-like nature for ‘Of War, Hurricanes, And Bane’ – a plodding an’ immensely majestic stroll o’ epic an’ glory metal. The tension fuelled ‘Of War, Hurricanes, And Bane’ be fixing to send shivers down the spines o’ listeners all o’er the seven seas. An’ with gear shifts an’ tempo changes across its six minutes plus length, ‘Of War, Hurricanes, And Bane’ be a longer epic very much in the style o’ metals iconic legends Iron Maiden. ‘The Battle For Gibraltar’ weighs in at a mighty eight minutes an’ forty five seconds long – the longest song on offer – an’ increases the heaviness o’ the bands sound. Mid tempo an’ mid paced, ‘The Battle For Gibraltar’ resonates with a story telling vibe, inviting everyone to sit around the camp fire to listen intently as the tale unfolds. An’ by stark contrast, the title song ‘A Short Life’ be the shortest song on offer, chiming in at just o’er four minutes in length, an’ be full o’ pounding power metal pomp. Up tempo an’ energetic, ‘A Short Life’ (the song) features a sing along-able chorus an’ one o’ the most infectious rhythms on the album.

The classic sound o’ a sea shanty gives life to ‘Hoist The Colours’ – probably the most gentlemen o’ fortune metal sounding song the album has to offer. Maintaining the previous songs’ high infectious level, Naufragant have just delivered two o’ the most addictive an’ heart warming songs out o’ all nine on offer. An’ by crikey, make that there three – ‘Pirate Blood’ increasing both the energy an’ tempo levels to become a galloping fury o’ foot on the monitor, head bangingly infectious, heavy metal. The second half o’ the album turning in a much more attractive performance than the first. Bringing the album to a close be the eight minute plus ‘Blackbeard’, blending the story telling vibe with heavy come power metal pomp. All album the crew have invoked an atmosphere o’ tension an’ intrigue as the tale has unfolded, making for a “can’t stop listening” voyage o’ immense interest.

Overall, an album o’ infectious power metal, Naufragant’s debut be an impressive entry in the seven seas o’ gentlemen o’ fortune metal.

TRACKLIST

The Oath
The Black Corsair
On The Traitor’s Trace
Of War, Hurricanes And Bane
The Battle For Gibraltar
A Short Life
Hoist The Colours
Pirate Blood
Blackbeard

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