Album Review: Holy Shire – Legendary Shepherds Of The Forest (Heavy Metal Records)

The new album from fantasy metal band, Holy Shire will be titled “The Legendary Shepherds of the Forest” and it will be released for the British label Heavy Metal Records on October 26th 2018.

Composed with a new line-up that sees Kima Chiara Brusa on flute and Frank Campese on guitar, this new chapter is filled with different nuances. As well as new and precious collaborations including four female special guests on vocals.

The songs are inspired by fantasy (The Legendary Shepherds of the Forest, The Gatherings inspired by The Lord of the Rings) with some historical suggestion (Ludwig, Danse Macabre) and some ideas that come from the contemporary (Princess Aries, The Lake), but the narration is still maintained in the imaginary world.

While Holy Shire nail the fantastical feel with The Legendary Shepherds of the Forest, its hard to shake off the feeling that it’s just lacking something. That something is the bombastic feeling, the feeling of your blood pumping and thumping loudly in your temples. It lacks real bite.

Instead we get a more restrained album with focus on the symphonic female vocals over everything else. They’re powerful as Tarots and Danse Macabre show but the lack of excitement hurts the tracks.

The title track is a step in the right direction though thanks to top melody and a softer, prettier vocal performance. It’s the first time it really stirs anything in the soul and happily this isn’t the only time. Ludwig takes a different approach with folkish melody led by a restrained male voice. When it does pick up, it adds a touch bit more bounce and zip which certainly does it no harm.

Momentum slows again though for a couple of tracks that can best be described as competent but boring. No matter how hard you try, it’s a struggle to get too interested in The Gathering and Inferno when they’re not really trying.

It’s a bit frustrating as everything about Holy Shire on paper says I should love them. Folk metal with leanings towards the symphonic in the vocals? Perfect. It’s just not coming together on this album and like an itch at the back of the throat, the longer it goes on the more irritating it becomes.

A pity because there is talent in this band and they have flashes of brilliance such as the epic feel of the catchy Ophelia.

Holy Shire – The Legendary Shepherds of the Forest Full Track Listing:

1. The Source
2. Tarots
3. Danse Macabre
4. The Legendary Shepherds Of The Forest
5. Princess Aries
6. Ludwig
7. At The Mountains Of Madness
8. The Gathering
9. Inferno
10. Ophelia
11. The Lake

You can keep up to date with news of the release by liking Holy Shire’s Facebook Page.