Merlin - The Wizard - review
Merlin - The Wizard - review
Tracklist
01. Abyss02. Gravelord
03. Sage's Crystal Staff
04. Golem
05. Iron Borne
06. Tarantula Hawk
07. The Wizard Suite
A review by
RaduP February 23, 2018
Merlin have been going on for a while, this being their 4th record, and they would've been lost for me in a sea of stoner bands that are good but completely lacking anything of their own had it not been for this record. With the recent addition of Stu Kersting, Merlin have extended their sonic palette with the sax. And damn, does it work so well.
You can tell that the saxophone isn't just a gimmick here, as the band works to cleverly incorporate it in such a way that it builds harmoniously along with the guitars and the rest of the instruments. One just needs to listen to the jam that is "Abyss" to hear how much more this adds to the song and its sense of groove. That being said, I do wish the guitars were a bit heavier during the riffy grooves in order to pack a harder punch, but other times they blend much more seamlessly, like on "Sage's Crystal Staff".
While there is a slight sense that the horns overpower the other instruments in some sections, this isn't an issue all throughout; there's fuzz and bass and some keyboard textures galore. Not all tracks have horns, as Stu plays guitar as well, and the band also has a new bassist for this album and both of their presences can be felt. The Wizard culminates with a 12-minute-long suite that brings together everything that makes this album great. I can't look at the performance or the songwriting or the production and say that it is top-notch, but it's great for what it is.
The Wizard is indeed one of the most exciting stoner metal albums I have heard recently and Merlin make a decent effort in crafting some tasty jams. Awaken the wizard.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 7 |
Comments
Comments:
8
Visited by
106 users
 Posts: 194 |
Posts: 194
Fun fact - All the songs/lyrics are based on the video game Dark Souls
Loading...
|
|
Posts: 3  |
Loading...
|
 Posts: 9628 |
Posts: 9628 Written by Sepulchre on 23.02.2018 at 21:46 So is this album the Dark Souls of music?
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
Loading...
|
|
Posts: 5826  |
Posts: 5826 Written by RaduP on 24.02.2018 at 22:30 In other words you reach the very first song and it's already too much for you and then you drop it? =)
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
Loading...
|
| Posts: 9628 |
Posts: 9628 Written by Regmike on 24.02.2018 at 16:41 Glad my reviews give stuff some visibility
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
Loading...
|
| Posts: 9628 |
Posts: 9628 Written by Karlabos on 24.02.2018 at 22:37 You just gotta roll around and hit to defeat the wizard
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
Loading...
|
 Posts: 5989 |
Posts: 5989
Great review, gonna have to get on it soon. You make it sound very..... saxxy 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
Loading...
|
| Posts: 9628 |
Posts: 9628 Written by Auntie Sahar on 25.02.2018 at 01:05 Dear Lord
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
Loading...
|
Hits total: 4268 | This month: 7