NORTHERN SWORD demo reviewed

Introduction :

This demo is available for free download on their official myspace, and so I’m about to review that demo made of 4 tracks :

1. In the Name of Odin | 2. For Glory and Gold | 3. Draw Yours Swords | 4. Nine Steps of Sorrow 

We can choose the quality of the content (mp3 320k, flac, ogg, aac, vbr high or low…) when we are about to download with legacy this material.

Now, let’s talk about the songs :

1 – In the Name of Odin

This intro of song, reflecting the chorus later, remind Alestorm pretty much. Big beats & strings instruments follow together the rhythmic part from this game, while the keyboard is leading that part.

Guitar player changes at 0.24 to some nice sentences within one string from his instrument (actually, I suspect B-string & little E-string ; I can’t play guitar for now but it may be a game around the 12th & 15th fret.). Anyway, it’s a lovely sound & part for sure! The raged singer enters next at 0.36, to sing his 1st verse. Beats are rather ok here.

0.48 is a second part of verse & new riff. Some powerchords based on the nice melody earlier. 

Actually, it sounds like everything is based on a same melody but its turnt way different of course, played differently, to make it sound… different. So, in the end, that’s different! x)

1.12 is that nice alestormian chorus part until 1.36 for a second verse. The first part of verse is played 12 seconds here against 36 seconds meanwhile the first verse. On that second verse, the singing starts on the second part from the verse. The chorus restarts one minute after.

A keyboard solo enters at 2.36. It reminds me the Children of Bodom. Guitars riffs are (still) very catchy on that time, then it turns more heavy at 3.00 and 12 seconds after, one is leading while the other is more rhythmic. The leader reminds me the good Iron maiden. All in all, lovely heavy part.

3.36 : the singing is back until 4.00, and music is slower here, but at 4.00, music ‘s faster in a Alestorm infl. again, somewhere. 4.17 is chorus, until the end. 

2 - For Glory and Gold 

All instruments are already here. Strong, they are. So is the singing, coming after 26 seconds of song. 

Good riffs again so is the melody next. The singin’ restarts at 0.51 giving place (1.17) to a choir making the chorus. The whole game returns then, followed by a long solo (3.36). Things are well done although we still think about Children of bodom. The song ends with its respective chorus.

3 - Draw Yours Swords 

Once more, everyone’s together with a certain power. Nice work in that song. Indeed, all the musicians are doing great their job but somewhere, this is a common aria… The singer starts after 24 seconds.

0.48 : The guitar is piercing at half of his sentence. It’s a good part (the musical sentence) but to be moderated. I’m not sure everyone could enjoy that same riff played x times... The singing restarts on that riff after 12 seconds. The entire game returns at about 1.12. 

I’d suggest to cut that part from 3.26 to 3.40 about, because that riff is way too much. Then it would give place to the nice solo that we can hear next. Singin’ is back ’til the end. 

4 - Nine Steps of Sorrow 

The song starts with piano. It’s nicely played. We can hear a short thunder shutting down the instrument after the 26 seconds of song then are the electrics instruments. Once more, good riff but the beats are nothing amazing. Guitars give some more power to 0.55.

The singer enters after one minute.

Riff changes to a nervous and faster one at 1.19 but (1.44) its rather leading here and the singing is off. Next (1.58), the singing is back, with a rhythmic riff delivering some power.

The whole electric games return next. We can hear the pianist’s back at 4.26 for 10 seconds, here’s nearly the game from the intro of song but oriented more to basses. Then guitars & keyboard remind me Children of bodom a lot. It sounds like something frightening is happening…

And it comes back to previous riff from 2.08.

To conclude :

Tracks are good but more musical games would be appreciated. The band members play fine, I learnt to like Northern Sword, they have talent for sure but I don’t want to think that it sounds like Alestorm or Children of bodom... They need to find their own sound yet. I know, its not easy. x)