Megaton Sword – Niralet

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MEGATON SWORD is a band from the mythic land of Niralet. They’re enigmatic about their origins, keeping with the mystique that they’re from a place out of time. And with their latest EP, they’re releasing five songs that bring listeners into their magic land. Is it magical? Let’s find out.

“Vulva of the Night” starts with some nice melodies going into an anthemic, melodic beat that reminds me of Black Metal’s predecessors. The echoing vocals are an interesting choice. However, I wish they would have picked one: either melodic, clear vocals, or gravelly, screechy vocals. I enjoy the song when it picks up for the guitar solo, but other than that, it sticks closely to one riff without much variety.

“Pristine War” comes on with much more energy: clanking bass and machine gun guitars. I like the vocals better here; they remind me a little of earlier Metal artists. I also love the varied technique in the verses versus the chorus. It’s also more of a battle song than the last one, despite the first track having more of a march-like sound. The guitar solo echoes and reverberates, but I adore the harmonies between the high-pitched melody and the janky harmonies propping it up. So far, it’s my favorite off the album.

“Born Beneath the Sword” leads into some staccato riffs that later gallop throughout the intro. The drums pop, adding an extra oomph. The melody and vocals remind me of a BLACK SABBATH song. The pounding riff in the second verse is also noteworthy; it’s punchy and gives the song more strength. The guitar solo is nice, and while the vocal narration is a little hokey, it adds some campy enjoyability to the song.

“For Glory” is full of fantastic imagery and a soaring melody that makes you feel like you’re flying through this song on a dragon. The machine gun elements in the first solo are also a nice touch and as I’ve covered with the other songs, the high-pitched guitars in the second solo are a hallmark of the ‘80s sound. It’s a good song, making you feel like you’re going to punch through dungeons and ride dragons ‘80s-style through the song.

“Realms to Conquer” starts off with some nice organ ambiance mixed in with a guitar melody. It then goes into an ominous bass line before crashing into the slow, anthemic intro. Here, the vocalist is at his clearest. The rolling drums throughout, a staple on this EP, are well-placed. The narration in the solo is interesting; drum rolls an ambiance boost it up before it goes into a rolling guitar solo. Also, the more structured melody keeps with the marching beat, but adds variety. It’s a good closer that hammers the thematic elements, instrumentally and lyrically.

Overall, it’s punchy, good music. The production value sounds like an earlier Thrash or Black Metal tape: like it was produced in a garage and passed around on a tape a hundred times before it got to your door. I can see this being a part of the appeal, especially for nostalgic, older Metal fans. Newer fans may find the sound interesting, albeit unclean. While it sounds like a throwback, it’s still a solid work that will take you back.

Songwriting: 9
Production: 7
Originality: 10
Memorability: 8