Sunday, June 26, 2022

Review: Baron Carta – Shards of Black

Metal powerhouse trio Baron Carta is the brainchild of guitarist/bassist/songwriter Jono Bacon. It features Primal Fear frontman Ralf Scheepers and Pyramaze and Anubis Gate drummer Morten Gade Sørensen. Shards of Black is the band’s third EP and it will be released on June 29th. It explores themes of war, exploration, and humanity itself.

Buckle up and get ready for a sonic metal ride through five melodic and crushing tracks. “Relanar” takes off in true metal fashion with relentless vocals and riffs galore. It really sets the tone for the EP. “Lethality”, the first single, is a killer track with a guitar solo that harkens back to the heyday of traditional metal and NWOBHM. It made my ears smile and I dig it a lot. “Althustan’s Pharaoh” is almost hypnotic with its pounding bass and unrelenting drums. “Ceasefire” is a solid tune but the weakest song of the EP in my opinion. “Act 3: Purged” is an epic, intricate 7-minute masterpiece. It shows the band’s skills on all fronts from musicianship to lyricists and takes the listener through a roller coaster of emotions, ranging from gentle to all-out fiery. By the way, if you’re looking for Acts 1 & 2, you can find them on the band’s two previous EPs, Step into the Plague (2021) and In a Concrete Room (2021) respectively. They are equally impressive.

Baron Carta is undoubtedly a band to keep an eye on. Shards of Black is an ambitious EP that really whets our appetite for a full-length record. I think the band has honed their craft sufficiently and are ready for the big time and for a 9 or 10 song album at this point. Whenever they’ll make the leap, I’d love to hear it! If you’re into traditional metal, NWOBHM, melodic metal and/or if you enjoy big riffs, catchy choruses, killer guitar solos, then Shards of Black will satisfy you plenty.

Baron Carta’s Official Website

Baron Carta on Spotify and Apple Music: https://listen.baroncarta.com/shardsofblack/lethality-presave 

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