Everything changed when the water nation attacked. On the night of September 27th, spongekind existed peacefully in their humble home. The morning of September 28th, rampant destruction. While the flooding left my home fatally enmoistened, I persist. I now rise up in my ultimate glory, undefeated by a storm powerful enough to destroy my city.1 What better way to announce my return to the AMG Hall than with Greek epic metal quintet Triumpher’s much-awaited sophomore record, Spirit Invictus? Raise your swords, and revel in the glory of heavy as fook metal!
Those unfamiliar with Triumpher’s Manowar-by-way-of-the-extreme ways should feel shame. Forsooth, their mettle in the ways of metal exudes power the likes of which levels castles and strips the flesh off a dragon’s bones. While debut Storming the Walls recounted its epic yarns for a touch too long for the weak of spirit and shallow of fortitude, Spirit Invictus unleashes its blinding flash of might in a taut and muscular forty minutes. These songs waste little time with exposition, instead prioritizing classic heavy metal riffs enlivened by traits of black metal extremity and rippling power metal rhythms. A range of barked, wailed, rough-hewn and chanting vocals tell epic tales of WICTORY and WENGEANCE, all filtered through the lens of Greek history and mythology. In short, if Spirit Invictus doesn’t grow the hair on your chest, you aren’t worthy to wield the sword of triumph(ER).
Two songs jump out of Spirit Invictus’ lineup which encapsulate everything that Triumpher does well. The first, “Spirit Invictus,” flawlessly balances exuberant power metal frolics with undeniably masculine heavy metal muscle. The inclusion of reverent organs and baritone background choir work only deepens the sense of scale evoked by this track, while hard-charging guitars bring the might of galloping riffs and shimmering tremolos to bear. The second, “Triumpher,” serves as the ultimate manifesto for the band itself. Confident, filled with vim and vigor, and determined to succeed against all odds, “Triumpher” boasts the best songwriting these Greeks penned thus far. Its irresistible chorus, backed by an incredible lead riff, puts a fire in my veins even before I consciously register its corporeal manifestation in sound. Such power cannot be bought, and Triumpher have it in spades. Thankfully, and despite competing with the aforementioned highlights, many of Spirit Invictus’ songs hold their own with aplomb. The blackened tear across barren lands and through purple castles conjured by “Alexander” evidence well-honed character development and storytelling skills. Meanwhile, “Athena (1st Chapter)” showcases Triumpher’s excellent world-building skills through huge verses and multifaceted instrumentation.
All this and more proves that Triumpher possess ample chops to make a name for themselves in a genre well tread. However, their journey has just begun, and therefore some potential remains to be realized. Fun songs though they may be on their own, “Arrival of the Avenger” and “Shores of Marathon” lag just barely behind the album’s strongest material. Mild quality variation introduced by these slightly weaker numbers thereby brings minor disruption to my immersion with—but not enjoyment of—Spirit Invictus. Additionally, while I love Mars Triumph’s unhinged and unrestrained vocal attack for this sound, there are moments where he reaches a bit too far past his physical limits (hear him fight valiantly for those arpeggios on “Hall of a Thousand Storms”). Certainly his passion for this music is just too strong to be contained, so I find myself forgiving those misfires quickly. As a final nitpick, Spirit Invictus is loud. Not particularly compressed or claustrophobic, it’s nonetheless one of the loudest records I’ve heard this year out of the box, making initial spins a touch uncomfortable while I fiddled around for comfortable levels. Proceed with caution if you are like me, and have a preferred starting position for your volume knob.
Minor complaints aside, Spirit Invictus is proof that Storming the Walls was no fluke. Triumpher is the real deal. Powerful, mighty, righteous. All apt descriptors for their music. My sword rises to rapt attention at the mere mention of their name now, and while I’m hard put to choose a favorite between the two records the band’s released thus far, Spirit Invictus is the more consistent—and certainly the tighter—of the two. If they continue perfecting their sound this way, Triumpher will in no time solidify their status as heavy metal legends in the House ov Ken.
Rating: Very Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: No Remorse Records
Websites: triumpher.bandcamp.com/music | facebook.com/Triumpher.official
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024
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