Lothlöryen - Some Ways Back Some More (2014) [Gorgatz]

Lothlöryen - Some Ways Back Some More (2014) [Gorgatz]



Six years after it's original release Some Ways Back Some More the 2008 recording of Brazilian folk/heavy metal group Lothloryen is soon to be re-issued. This is also the first time Some Ways Back Some More has been released outside of Brazil so it certainly makes sense to make Lothloryen's second album available to a far wider market. This was not just a matter of simply re-releasing Some Ways Back Some More in its original state, the sound has been given a substantial rework with a remix and remaster and current Lothloryen vocalist Daniel Felipe features on this version.

The band's name, lyrics and some of those song titles on Some Ways Back Some More signifies that Lothloryen are indeed fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. As we have experienced previously with Blind Guardian's classic metal album Nightfall In Middle Earth the combination of tales from Middle-earth and music of the metal kind can result in something very special. Some Ways Back Some More doesn't rise to the epic heights that Blind Guardian took us to on that particular enthralling release, though Lothloryen's album has far less of that cinematic atmosphere it's still a lot of fun to listen to. Whether Lothloryen are rocking out on a catchy tune called "Hobbits' Song", the folk/metal music of "My Grimoire" or the adventurous exciting metal finale that is "Unfinished Fairytale", Some Ways Back Some More doesn't sound out of place in 2014.

Thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien and many other fantasy fiction writers, metal bands have had plenty of inspiration for their lyrics and music. Here's another band, Lothloryen, from Brazil, penning tunes from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy for their fourth album, Some Ways Back Some More.
Lothloryen Band Photo
Lothloryen: tall hobbits.
Now, as a matter of record, two things must be pointed it out. First, and only because I find it annoying, the proper spelling of the Elven land in Tolkien's Middle Earth is Lothorien, with an 'i' and not a 'y'. Second, Some Ways Back Some More is not exactly a 'new' album for the band. It's actually a re-recording of their 2008 album Some Ways Back No More, released only in Brazil, with their new singer, and new mixing, mastering, and art work. So, I guess, if you have the original album and liked it, you'll probably be curious and like the new version as well. Alternatively, if you don't like the marketing ploy of a band pitching you something as 'new' that is actually past, then you might feel like you're being deceived and ripped off. The middle ground is to look at this re-release as a chance for metal fans worldwide to get their hands on the band's back catalogue.

Fundamentally, with Some Ways Back Some More, what you have here is melodic power metal, and thanks to some acoustic guitar and such, touched with folk metal. Lothloryen probably is in the same style of, say, Blind Guardian, yet not quite as grandiose, although Unfinished Fairytale comes close. Some of the band's strengths are found in it's vocal arrangements, notable within We Will Never Be The Same, My Grimoire, and Hobbit's Song. Also, the guitar work is sharp and pleasing, with lots of fine metal solos from front to back. Sometimes the folk element is completely missing with Lothloryen getting more heavy and raging as with Some Ways Back No More, likely the heaviest song here. It's followed by Secret Time which divides between a lighter rhyme and melody in the first half, only to get stronger, like the previous song, in the back half.
While you can debate the finer points of whether this is a 'new' album or the old repackaged and pitched to unwary metal fans, Some Ways Back Some More is an entertaining album of melodic folk power metal.

I had firstly discovered LOTHLÖRYEN because of another Brazilian act named RYGEL, it was a fluke at first , in fact the lead singer , the amazing Daniel Felipe was also performing with RYGEL (their wonderful album “Imminent” is warmly recommended…You could found my underrated review here: http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/r_2/rygel-imminent.htm) as I truly loved his voice, loyal to my compulsive behavior, I purchased their second release “Raving Souls Society”, but I have to admit that I wasn’t totally convinced, maybe it was the production or the numerous references to the Nordic Folk Metal scene such as FALCONER or WUTHERING HEIGHTS which isn’t my favorite genre.

But with the more refined sound of “Some Ways Back Some More” enhanced by a very solid performance from the whole band I was immediately hooked, much more attracted by this album, which is a Re-recording of their "Some Ways Back No More", featuring especially superior and restored vocals, recorded by their newest vocalist and an updated high-end production .The album's sound is pretty dynamic, the mix between the Folk elements and the heaviness posture is perfectly balanced , more interesting less gadget and the new contemporary Reworked version is head and shoulders above the early album, which was first published in 2008, even the new cover artwork is much better. With this authentic, fresh and improved rendition , they can easily compete now, with any big names of the genres like ORDEN OGAN / ALESTORM or the great Italians from ELVENKING and of course the German wizards; the godfathers of Epic Medieval Power Metal: BLIND GUARDIAN (“We Will Never Be The Same”).

The weird name is borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkien's mythology: it’s the forest realm of the Elves in “The Lord of the Rings” saga , so as you’ll understand now, most of the tracks are about the magic Ring, the Hobbits, Mordor etc… But beside the Tolkien worshiping thematic mania, the songs are very well constructed and not too cheesy except the chorus for “Hobbits’ Song” which is the sole jester moment, more like ANCIENT BARDS / SWASHBUCKLE or the SKYCLAD / RUNNING WILD’s tavern pirates stuff than anything else.

What I like about LOTHLÖRYEN it's that beside the obvious vocal talent of Tenor Daniel Felipe -his harsh deepness in the low spectrum is jaw dropping, very much like the almighty Sir Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X / ADRENALINE MOB mixed with Bruce Dickinson), they takes the musical side with a real seriousness, not really Symphonic but clever in the arrangements, they deliver real Metal ingredients with intensity (“My Mind In Mordor” / ”Unfinished Fairytale”), abundant and noble warrior choirs with only a few Folkish shades (“One Ring”), subtle acoustic guitars some sporadic gimmicks such as Fiddles or alto Violins and most of all a great mastery in the riffing method (“Hobbits’ Song” / ”Some Ways Back No More”), very Germanic in the approach , not far from GRAVE DIGGER (”My Grimoire”) yet the more Celtic influences are still consistent in the guitar/Keyboards duo within the melodic themes .As I’m not the biggest fan of the genre, I’m not ready to swallow each and every archaic lullaby with strange instrumentation or too specific orchestrations, but the delicate mix of those elements is perfectly dosed at least for me it’s a good omen, the track “Secret Time” could have been a huge song for the next AVANTASIA. Along with another South American band named TRIDDANA leaded by another fantastic singer Diego Valdez (ELECTRONOMICON / HELKER / ex-SKILTRON) from Argentina. LOTHLÖRYEN is my favorite new band in this highly tagged style, a real niche, HEAVEN’S GUARDIAN also from Brazil deserves to be mentioned here.

So take your holy sword and let's get ready for the battle as the forces of Evil are about to convince you to bought a stupid video game instead of this little jewel.

- T R A C K L I S T -

1. My Mind in Mordor 04:49
2. We Will Never Be the Same 04:38
3. One Ring 01:04
4. Hobbits' Song 04:53
5. White Lies 04:17
6. Some Ways Back No More 04:38
7. Secret Time 04:54
8. My Grimoire 07:56
9. Unfinished Fairytale 11:45

Format: 320 mp3
Genre: Power Metal
Sub Genre: Heavy Metal, Folk Metal
Size: 111.54 MB