SACRED OUTCRY
“Towers Of Gold”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Sacred Outcry are a power metal band from Greece, releasing two albums to date – ‘Damned For All Time…’ (2020) and ‘Towers Of Gold’, released in 2023…

…featuring ten songs and fifty five minutes of pulsating power metal fused with the bands unique touch of the cinematic dark and epic feel. There is a very strong story telling vibe throughout ‘Towers Of Gold’, and with so much going on musically, it’s gonna take multiple listens to fully grasp the mammoth masterpiece on offer. The band open with a traditional atmospheric and scene setting intro courtesy of the two minute ‘Through Lands Forgotten (At The Crossroads Of Fate)’…

…stepping on the gas and racing off at high velocity with the blistering ‘The Flame Rekindled (Lurid Lights And Drunken Revelry)’. The pace, power and urgency is incredible, the band hurtling along at full tilt – fucking great for all us head bangers! What a maniacal state the worlds mosh pits are gonna be in – Sacred Outcry delivering a breath taking opener of immense head bang ability. And just how do you follow that? By keeping your foot down, increasing the heaviness and raising the infectious level to new heights, that’s how! ‘The Voyage (Towards Immortality)’ hammering the senses into submission with an incessant rhythm that’ll keep heads moving back and forth ’til eternity. Sacred Outcry have wowed across the albums first two songs, both simply irresistible, setting the bar high for the rest of the album – I’m drooling at the prospect of what’s still to come! And what comes next is the majestic ‘Into The Storm (Beyond The Lost Horizon)’, striding tall and very proud. The anthemic march is matched by a huge epic and glory feel, the story telling vibe at its strongest since ‘Towers Of Gold’ began. The band have cruised the albums first third, setting a very high standard of power metal that is simply stunning.

Every song on offer is around five minutes or longer in length – with an incredible fifteen minute epic on its way later – the band for now entering into an anticipation fuelled swagger for the mighty foot stomper ‘Symphony Of The Night (The Curse of The Blind)’. The slow and steady march is full of majesty and poise, Sacred Outcry pounding the ground with authority and aplomb. The regal feeling that emanates from ‘Symphony Of The Night (The Curse of The Blind)’ is far greater than even ‘Alexander The Great’ (by Iron Maiden) offers. A bloody fantastic effort from a band very much at the top of their game. ‘A Midnight Reverie (Whispers In The Wind)’ is similar in atmosphere with the same sense of scene setting theatre as the (albums) opening intro – ‘The Sweet Wine Of Betrayal (The Perennial Sin)’ beginning its eight minute long journey with a little bit of menace – not too much, just the right amount! And then boom – we’re marching boldly and with so much bombastic intent you’re gonna be bowled over! The slow and doom laden pace is powerful, punchy, and precise – the band hitting hard with a lot of force. Who said all the fast paced songs had to have all the oomph and oof? Not me that’s for sure – ‘The Sweet Wine Of Betrayal (The Perennial Sin)’ having its fair share!

A simply glorious album so far, enters its final third with the bustling ‘The City Of Stone (The Burden Of The Crownless Kings)’, featuring a little more pace than the previous couple of songs. Yet none of the bands regal majesty is lost – ‘The City Of Stone (The Burden Of The Crownless Kings)’ maintaining ‘Towers Of Gold’ very impressive aura. An aura that is overwhelming and all encompassing, grabbing your attention from the off and never letting go! And now for the fifteen minute long title song ‘Towers Of Gold (Tempus Edax Rerum)’ – an incredible piece of orchestration featuring a fast paced opening, forging a punchy and mildly aggressive roller coaster that careers through so many high, low, fast, slow, dark and light moments, that you’re gonna have to hold on real tight! ‘Towers Of Gold (Tempus Edax Rerum)’ is a wonderful theatrical and cinematic experience, I really wish I was listening in Dolby surround sound! What an absolute pleasure that would be! ‘Towers Of Gold (Tempus Edax Rerum)’ is a perfect show stopping finale to a fucking great album, however, the band have one more surprise up their sleeves – the three minute outro ‘Where Crimson Shadows Dwell (And Ouroboros Dreamt)’. A sparkling mellow and serene atmosphere descends upon the album, the band playing us out in hymn-like fashion.

Overall, a simply gorgeous and irresistible album of magnificence – every song on offer is highly infectious and majestic.

TRACKLIST

Through Lands Forgotten (At The Crossroads Of Fate)
The Flame Rekindled (Lurid Lights And Drunken Revelry)
The Voyage (Towards Immortality)
Into The Storm (Beyond The Lost Horizon)
Symphony Of The Night (The Curse Of The Blind)
A Midnight Reverie (Whispers In The Wind)
The Sweet Wine Of Betrayal (The Perennial Sin)
The City Of Stone (The Burden Of The Crownless Kings)
Towers Of Gold (Tempus Edax Rerum)
Where Crimson Shadows Dwell (And Ouroboros Dreamt)

https://sacredoutcry.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SacredOutcry/

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