Album Review: Crestfallen Queen – Queen of Swords (Church Within Records)

Crestfallen Queen hail from Stuttgart, Germany, but could have very well been born anywhere in the dark hazy fog of the seventies.

The quintet was formed in 2016 playing their brand of progressive blackened rock. The doom laden riffs are backed by galloping metallic rhythms and hounded by eerie synths which are then topped off by a majestic voice that lurks somewhere between this world and the next.

Following the release of their completely analogue recorded, produced and quickly sold-out demo cassette ‘No More Let Life Divide What Death Can Join Together’ (released February 2018) the debut album, ‘Queen of Swords’ presents the detail-loving and unconventional soul of Crestfallen Queen in full length. Out on May 24th 2019 via Church Within Records.

Laying the atmosphere on thickly with the intro of Umbra. Crestfallen Queen conjure up images of a darkness shrouded figures. Watching your every move as you take slow steps to the foot of the Queen of Swords.

That it’s light melody that follows with the title track is something of a surprise. Maybe there is less evil here then we thought? Worry not, the tempo picks up with a very classic doom galloping beat before the powerful vocals take us by the hand leading us to places we’d only dreamt of.

Sultry and filled with depth, the cleanness of them works well against the heaviness found in the rest of the instruments. While flashes of heavier and throatier roars impress.

Nothing’s touching the melodic and gothic Eurydice’s Lullaby though. What a track…what a trip through the mind of Crestfallen Queen. Impactful as hell but so damn repeatable especially when the pace picks up for a fantastic guitar showing in the middle.

Take a breather with the 44 second Invocation before Ghost Warriors come at you from the darkness. The longest track at nearly nine and a half minutes long, it’s a moody, doom epic that claws away at the brain demanding you pay attention. It’s not possible to ignore either as the guitars sing delectable hymns of praise and inject body shaking pace.

A hell of an album ends with Lethean Bed, the pace slowing down to push the ringing fuzz of the riffs further into your brain. The effectiveness of this can’t be understated and the longer it goes on, the more lost within it all will be.

Bloody brilliant.

Crestfallen Queen – Queen of Swords Full Track Listing:

1. Umbra
2. Queen of Swords
3. Eurydice’s Lullaby
4. Invocation
5. Ghost Warriors
6. Lethean Bed

You can pick up Crestfallen Queen’s music and merchandise over on Bandcamp. Find out more by checking out their Facebook Page and Instagram.