Crimson Shadows – Whispers Of War
Release Date: 25th July 2025
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, Speed Metal, Death Metal, Extreme Metal, Heavy Metal.
FFO: Brymir, Mors Principium Est, Dragonforce, Unleash the Archers, Dragoncorpse, C.O.B.
Review By: Rick Farley
Since releasing their debut album Glory on the Battlefield in 2012, winning Wacken Metal-Battle 2013, and releasing their second full length album Kings Among Men on a major label in 2014, Canada’s Crimson Shadows I’m sure have heard what I’m about to say a million times over. But you may not have, and honestly it still works. If you take the hyper energetic power metal of Dragonforce, the metallic, melodic approach to death metal from Children of Bodom and add in the battle ready swagger of Amon Amarth, you’ll have a workable idea of what Crimson Shadows sounds like. Sing-along power metal vocals, accent goblin style screams and low register gutturals which provide the vocal potency that combined with hyper fast trashy guitars, brutal blast beats, unapologetic shred, and an infectious call to arms urgency, will leave you bruised, bloodied, and battered, but feeling outright invincible. Heavy, fast, and melodically epic, you will reach for your sword more than once to slay a dragon.
Whispers of War is being unsheathed July 25th, 2025, marking the bands third full length and first set of songs since their EP The Resurrection in 2020. Mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy) Whispers of War has a full punchy sound that’s crisp as well as warm. Tracks like Guardians, with its shreddy, galloping opening to the wicked crunchiness of the guitars and vicious cadence of the course growls, sound like a band reenergized and fully confident with their sound. The Legacy of Steel, my personal favourite track, brings a triumphant fusion of anthemic catchiness and high energy heaviness. “Stand and fight my brothers, our legacy will carry on” gets me amped for a battle every time. The blistering aggression of Secrets of our Time featuring the angelic guest vocals of Brittney Slayes (Unleash the Archers) adds extra silky range to an already exceptional varied vocal performance on the record.
Musically, the technical prowess of Crimson Shadows is shred heavy virtuosity heavily inspired by earlier Dragonforce, with the attack of harsh vocals and thrashy death metal. The razor sharp guitars from Greg Rounding and Ryan Hofing shift from impactful with dual harmonies, to melodic shred with ultra-fast rhythmic tempos that could easily melt steel. The ferocious, personality filled vocals from Jimi Maltais spend a good portion of the record in the harsh realm of death metal, however there’s still plenty of sing along, power metal cleans from Greg Rounding that often sounds like their having a monumental battle between good and evil with one another. It’s a unique, catchy juxtaposition that works well together. Bassist Alex Snape provides a warm, impenetrable low end that keeps the warring foundation from crashing down, and drummer Cory Hofing drives the attack with insanely powerful, technical musicianship that brutalizes at obscene speeds.
Lyrically, Whispers of War embraces individual perseverance, believing in yourself and powering through it all; as well as the struggle of war being always just a few steps away regardless of our continued hope for peace. Things we can all relate to.
Whispers of War is written by a band that genuinely loves the music that inspires them. You can hear it in every ounce of their songs; this is a hellaciously fun record that makes you feel good after every listen. Regardless of its harshness, it’s fully inviting with loads of spellbound metal engagement. It’s the kind of extreme metal that forces you raise the horns up, violently headbang and just shed your inhibitions in all its heavy metal majesty. This is an easy recommend for metalheads who miss the old days of just jamming a fucking record at full volume and screaming to the gods for approval of its heroic, heavy glory. All in on this one.
(4.5 / 5)
