Australia has offered up a selection of great rock and metal bands such as: AC/DC, Airbourne, Parkway Drive, The Bezerker and Destroyer 666, but the only problem with these bands is……. They aren’t blackened folk metal band Claim the Throne. Spawned from a distance place called Perth, these ale guzzling, heavy metal raiders are back with their 2^nd full studio album entitled Triumph and Beyond. Full of punchy guitar lines, black metal pig squeals and a few acoustic folk songs, to appeal to the people who can’t stand their music being too loud, Claim the Throne have pulled no punches with this album and prove that they are the kings of folk metal!

Quite oddly, the acoustic songs on this album are one of Triumph and Beyond’s main highlights. From the serenity of ‘The Lake’ to the catchy chorus’s of ‘Set Sail on Ale’ and ‘Mystical hermit of the Woods’, Claim the Throne show that they are all talented musicians, not only playing the traditional instruments you would find in a rock band, but also experimenting with Australian favourite the didgeridoo as well as other weird and wonderful instruments. It’s these three tracks which put this album in a league above all other folk metal albums, leaving behind the metal and sticking to just folk – letting people have the time of their lives while listening and singing along to these brilliant acoustic hits.

Compared to Claim the Throne’s previous album, Only the Brave Return – Triumph and Beyond has a much better production and the sound is a lot clearer. This is a blessing from god; for if tracks like ‘They Shall Live On’, ‘Through the Rage of the Storm’ and ‘Rat Infested Hut’, sounded like anything off of the last album, it would have the listener shoving pieces of paper in their ears to block out the noise, not to mention that the band must think that as well, seen as they have re-recorded the classic tracks ‘Words of the Great Oak’ from their last album.

The guitar lines are what make this album as brutal as it is. Based around black metal, needle like sounds heard in the verses – and louder, more melodic chord progressions heard in the chorus’s. Claim the Throne’s two guitarists Brendon Capriotti (Also lead growler) and Glenn Dyson, are a powerhouse duo that are capable of blowing your ear drums with their heavy, sludgy guitar lines in songs like ‘Conquer, Trounce, Vanquish’, ‘The Thousand Thunders’ and ‘Two Pints of Honey and a Barrel Full of Beer’.

If the amazingly eye catching artwork doesn’t hook you from the moment you lay your eyes on it, then as soon as Triumph and Beyond begins, you will be mesmerised by this folk metal masterpiece. It will have you banging your head and singing like a dwarf, as well as praising them as the king of folks. You definitely need to check these guys out when they open for Alestorm in February! [9/10]