Band:	Summoning
Album:	Oath Bound
Style:	Atmospheric black metal
Release date:	March 31, 2006
A review by:	Raiden

01. Bauglir
02. Across The Streaming Tide
03. Mirdautas Vras
04. Might And Glory
05. Beleriand
06. Northward
07. Menegroth
08. Land Of The Dead

I think the best way to describe the music of Summoning would be slow paced, epic, atmospheric, raw Black Metal intertwined with folk music. Oath Bound is Summoning's sixth album and was released in the first half of 2006. The album wasn't featured in the Black Metal category of this year's Metal Storm awards perhaps through the fact that not a lot of people have heard this album, but it really is worth a listen.

The first thing you'll notice upon grasping the album in your hands is the beautiful cover artwork. This is probably one of my favourite album covers with it's scene of misty mountains and a forest by a lake. It gives you an idea of the kind of music to come.

What's so great about the music? Well, the album isn't fast paced or aggressive Black Metal, so it might only appeal to the Black Metal fan that is a little open-minded. The music wouldn't really be called Symphonic Black Metal either, so don't be put off that way. The whole album flows really well though. The whole atmosphere created is an epic one, with simple but effective raw guitar and well played and not overpowering keyboards. The keyboards played are usually only an atmosphere building tool, and the electronic piano sound doesn't come around a lot. The drumming on this album also helps to keep the epic tempo going; they're not played fast, but more in a slow, pounding way. The sound of them is deep, and they remind you of war drums. Another noteworthy feature is the really well performed, good sounding vocals. As a metal fan, this is one of the important things that make this album as good as it is. Both Protector and Silenius do vocals, and they're most of the time raw sounding rasps. They hold their screams well and are at the perfect level of harshness. Vocal-wise, you really couldn't ask for much more.

As a fan of this sort of thing in Folk Metal, I really enjoy the use of flutes/recorder on Oath Bound. The last track "Land Of The Dead" has quite a few beautiful sounding stand-out flute/recorder pieces. I think Land Of The Dead really eclipses the album. It's the last track and it's probably the best one. It concludes the album and really shows what it's all about as a whole. The fade out at the end of this track also gives the listen a really good lasting impression.

So if you're a Black Metal fan you may or may not enjoy this. Summoning fans aside, if you're after something that's raw, and also folkish/epic and different to you usual fast-paced metal, then Oath Bound will be worth checking out!