Band:	Elvenking
Album:	Reader Of The Runes - Luna
Style:	Folk metal, Power metal
Release date:	April 11, 2025
A review by:	tominator

01. Season Of The Owl
02. Luna
03. Gone Epoch
04. Stormcarrier
05. Starbath
06. On These Haunted Shores
07. The Ghosting
08. Throes Of Atonement
09. The Weeping
10. Reader Of The Runes - Book II

Lots of good moments and a ton of potential, but ultimately a bit directionless.

Like a cocktail with a bit too much alcohol in it: that’s how I would describe this record. The ingredients for a perfect cocktail are all there, but the balance between them isn’t quite right yet. The overall feeling I got when listening to Reader Of The Runes - Luna is that the band tried to blend a bunch of sounds from their previous records together. For example, there’s a bit more of what I would call their “magical folk” sound here, which helped give each song on Secrets Of The Magick Grimoire its own identity. However, Reader Of The Runes - Luna doesn’t fully realize the potential of these elements, and this is where the attempt to blend the sounds of different albums causes some friction.

In comparison, the previous album Reader Of The Runes - Rapture put a greater emphasis on guitar riffs; the folk elements were still very noticeable, but were used to bolster the overall soundscape. Here, it seems that Elvenking tried to bring everything to the forefront, and as a result, the music feels a bit disjointed: interesting in a way, but disjointed nonetheless. There are some abrupt transitions in certain songs, and the drumwork, while stellar at times, can come across as too erratic to blend nicely with the other instruments and melodies. I think the opening track is a prime example of that; tt’s chaotic, but lacks an underlying constant that would indicate a clear purpose.

Okay, that all might sound very negative. I want to emphasize, though, that Reader Of The Runes - Luna has quite a few genuinely strong sections. There are multiple moments where I felt that the formula they were trying out actually worked really well. After a couple more listens, “The Weeping” and “Starbath” have become my favorites on this record, because they seem to fully reach their potential. The instrumental section in “Starbath,” which starts around the two-and-a-half-minute mark, is exquisite and manages to perfectly blend the more aggressive sound with the “magical folk” I mentioned earlier. “The Weeping” does a similar thing, transitioning between heavier and acoustic moments quite effortlessly. These tracks still feel “busier” than most of the songs on the previous album, but they strike a good balance between the elements the band wants to bring together.

Reader Of The Runes - Rapture felt more streamlined and cohesive overall; to some that was kind of its weakness, because it felt fairly predictable, but overall I really liked it, and songs like “Rapture” and “Incantations” hit the spot immediately after only one listen. Reader Of The Runes - Luna doesn’t really have those kinds of songs. It takes a bit longer to appreciate some of the things Elvenking has done here. Imagine the best songs on this album to be made out of pieces of steel, which are brought together by a beautiful weld, while the other songs are welded together in a more utilitarian/less refined way.

To conclude, am I disappointed in Reader Of The Runes - Luna? Well, truthfully, I’m conflicted about this album. On the one hand, it lacks proper pacing, and often feels disjointed and too erratic. On the other, there are many great sections that brought a smile to my face, even on the fourth or fifth listen, and that counts for something. I also really like the idea of blending their previous sounds. When it all clicks, you can see the potential come to fruition, and it’s great. I wouldn’t mind them giving this kind of sound another shot on their next release. If they can isolate all the strong elements from Reader Of The Runes - Luna and refine their welding technique to bring it all together, it could be a real banger. I think fans of folk metal will definitely appreciate certain parts of this album and will hear the potential. For them, I’d give this a small recommendation (with the caveats I mentioned above).