Magus Lord - In The Company Of Champions - review
Magus Lord - In The Company Of Champions - review
Tracklist
01. One Path To Carn Dûm02. I Break The Immortal Seal
03. Spirit Of Serenity
04. In The Company Of Champions
05. Seven Rains Of Fire [Gods Tower cover]
A review by
nikarg August 04, 2025
First and foremost, this debut’s cover art gives strong Under The Sign Of The Black Mark vibes, seen through a darker and more shadowy lens. The actual music is also based on that album’s sound, but also on the two (or even three) Bathory albums that came after it. In The Company Of Champions uses clean guitars, Summoning-ian synths, various vocal styles, and galloping riffs to create an atmosphere of epic grandeur and mythic adventure, stimulating both the imagination and the emotion of the listener.
The album consists of five tracks, each one offering something of its own. Whether going for the dark and pounding rhythm of the opener, the blackened and ritualistic character of “I Break The Immortal Seal”, the acoustic introspection of the interlude “Spirit Of Serenity”, or the incendiary pagan dance of the closer, “Seven Rains Of Fire”, which is a Gods Tower cover, In The Company Of Champions is always telling a story that keeps you hooked, hypnotized, and enchanted. The two 15-minute epics, “One Path To Carn Dûm” and “In The Company Of Champions”, are surely the songs that stand out the most, with the latter being one of the best epic metal songs ever recorded (yes, I know what I just wrote). In true Twilight Of The Gods fashion, the title track is a majestic composition that progresses in an absolutely mesmerizing manner, brimming with emotion, and using acoustic guitars that change melodies, build intensity and give goosebumps. M’s clean vocals match the clean guitars very well, which is also the case with the classic heavy metal riffs and the evil rasps, while the folky synths complete the puzzle of how one can just destroy the epic-o-metre.
In terms of performances, this is a one-person show, since M. is playing all the instruments, and his vocals are quite versatile and make for one of the strongest selling points of the album. The production is adequately lo-fi to give that extra vintage element, and it even exudes a cold and industrial feel at times. If I changed one thing, it would be the drums; both the sound, but also the fact that fake drums, even when programmed very well, can never be better than having a real drummer. It’s not an issue as big as it was on Lamp Of Murmuur’s Saturnian Bloodstorm, but it is still an issue.
When bands try to recreate the magic of the olden greats, I mostly find myself feeling nostalgic and just playing one of these classic albums that inspired the one at hand. With In The Company Of Champions, although I did travel back to the time of Blood Fire Death and Hammerheart, I did not feel an invincible urge to play them; instead, I felt like playing Magus Lord’s debut again and again and again. This is the best Bathory album ever, not released by Bathory, and, coming from someone who loves Bathory as much as I do, this is ultimate praise.
“I sail the winds of fate
With a hail of arrows in the air
I pierce the heart of destiny
A tomb of steel awaits for me…”
Comments
Comments:
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Posts: 1820  |
Posts: 1820
This seems like it could make up for the last disappointing Lamp Of Murmuur album quite nicely.
---- Need a break from headbanging? Restore your street cred by visiting my hip-hop list! Tha Swagnum Opus: A Selection Of Hip-Hop For The Curious Metalhead
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 Posts: 8252 |
Posts: 8252 Written by A Real Mönkey on 04.08.2025 at 02:01 I actually liked the latest Lamp of Murmuur, but I definitely prefer this over anything else he has done. I didn't post a link to Bandcamp in the review, so here it is:
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Posts: 4323
Dang! You had me with the first paragraph, and you were totally right. This is amazing stuff. It almost sounds more like Caladan Brood than Summoning at times, but both bands are amazing influences, as is Bathory. And this album has enough going for it to be more than just worship. I'm really enjoying this.
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Posts: 8252 Written by poring dark on 05.08.2025 at 08:04 Thanks for listening. I personally liked it from the very beginning, but it grew even more on me the more I played it, and I found myself playing it all the time, which made me add the band here and write the review.
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Posts: 8252 Written by corrupt on 05.08.2025 at 18:14 Glad to hear you are enjoying it! Yep, Caladan Brood is another reference, but, to be honest, I think this is M.'s love letter to Quorthon above everything else.
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Posts: 8252
For those of you who enjoyed this, here is a bonus album suggestion 
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Posts: 6696
I feel similarly to you - I did have to revisit Hammerheart and Blood Fire Death and Twilight Of The Gods, but I also feel compelled to listen to this album again, and I've already gone back to the title track, which is for sure one of the best examples of its style. I've enjoyed Lamp Of Murmuur pretty consistently but this is the more interesting project to me. I will have to check out that bonus album as well.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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 Posts: 64433 |
Posts: 64433
I miss your revirw and lyric parts under,maybe AndyMetalFreak should try do it to. Rare case someone covers Gods Tower,not so known n popular band.
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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Posts: 8252 Written by Bad English on 19.08.2025 at 12:55 Not sure I understand what you mean. I am still reviewing, and this review has a lyrics passage at the end. What do you miss? Written by Bad English on 19.08.2025 at 12:55 Indeed. And it is a very good cover, too.
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Posts: 64433
I mean you shoyld write mych often
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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Posts: 8252 Written by Bad English on 21.08.2025 at 05:46 I see.. I have been struggling to find the time lately.
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Posts: 64433 Written by nikarg on 23.08.2025 at 18:47 You work to much
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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