Turisas – ‘Stand up and Fight’ (2011)
Rating: 10/10
Release: 23 February 2011
Label: Century Media Records
An album like only Turisas can make it. Orchestral, theatrical and above all very bombastic. But what a masterpiece these Finns delivered again.
With this album, I strongly feel that I am listening to soundtracks, unfortunately I really miss the guitar solos. The guitar is actually in no song really strong forward, it’s more of an addition to the orchestra.
The first songs are not very special, cool openers but nothing no more then that. At Take the Day! The vocals are finally heavier the backing vocals form a nice and good variety. Hunting Pirates is the only song on the album which really stands out, not because it is so fantastic but because it is very different. Still very symphonic but this time much happier it sounds like real Pirate Metal. Venetoi! Prasinoi! Has just a completely medieval sound, like a battle is about to begin.
“Stand up and fight!” has to a slow start but then turns out to be a really good song. Something I miss in Turisas is some variety in the vocals. There is some alternation between deep vocals and a sort of grunt but that’s all the variety there is. Fortunately, there are the backing vocals.
On “The Great Escape” and “Fear the Fear” is not much to comment on, they are easy to listen to and form a good centrepiece.
In “End of an Empire” you think you have a good seal of the album, but it appears that the best is saved for last. “The Bosphorus Freezes Over” in my opinion the best song on this album. It starts quietly and is also the most symphonic song and finally a Finnish one!
I would like Turisas to do some more lyrics in Finnish, it would make their sound more unique and it would certainly not hurt the music.
All in all, this is an album you still enjoy, even after a few times listening (as for this review, I have even listened a bit too much to this album) can still enjoy. Moreover Turisas can also drop a very good live show so well worth the effort to see once.
Tracklist
- The March Of The Varangian Guard
- Take The Day!
- Hunting Pirates
- Venetoi! – Prasinoi!
- Stand Up And Fight
- The Great Escape
- Fear The Fear
- End Of An Empire
- The Bosphorus Freezes Over