Farseer – Chthonic Visions EP review

There have only been a hand full of UK based power metal bands that have been able to rival/better the bands ever spawning forth from the Euro power metal scene. Now in 2012, Glasgow based melodic metal heads Farseer have released their new EP, Chthonic Visions which is the finest power metal album of 2012 so far. Although it would have been so much better if Farseer had released a full length album, Chthonic Visions is chock full of gleaming melodic melodies, shredding guitar parts and what tops it off is the superb, yet extremely underrated David Bisset on lead vocals, whose commanding and powerful voice is reminiscent of that of Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden. This is by far one of the most memorable power metal releases to come from a band in the UK, and through insane musicianship and catchy songs, Farseer prove why the Scots slay when it comes to writing kick ass power metal epicness!

Apart the slow symphonic opener that is ‘Omen of the Reaper’, Chthonic Visions is a shred heads best friend that is heavily built around a hell of a lot of dual lead guitar lines. Obviously taking a step away from the bog standard, generic keyboard laden style music of: Power Quest, Sonata Arctica and Rhapsody – Farseer ensure that songs such as ‘Nightmares Collide’ and ‘Game of the Gods’ are jammed full of vicious, swooping guitar lines that take their sound and nature into more of a NWOBHM style, mixing genres to give a more diverse, well rounded and powerful sound.

Power metal is only decent if it is catchy and manages to keep the listener hooked throughout the entirety of the song. Chthonic Visions is an EP that is jammed full of the most catchy chorus’s ever and the moment tracks such as ‘Second Strike’ and the jaw dropping title track ‘Chthonic Visions’ kick in, you will not be able to help but sing along to them. There are three things that make a song amazing and they are: 1) Talented Musicianship, 2) Hooky melody lines and 3) Catchy choruses – all which are present in Farseer’s music.

The songs on Chthonic Visions would not be as mind blowing as they are without the magical touch of David Bisset on vocals. From the high pitches vocal screams to the more melodic and surreal singing, his voice adds an extra dimension to Farseer’s music, making their sound all the more fulfilled and being the key ingredient to the success of this album.

Scotland has once again brought into the metal scene a band that can only be described as…. BLOODY WELL AWESOME! Farseer really have shown with Chthonic visions that you don’t have to be big and signed to a huge label to release a brilliant record, and that by cutting back on keyboard parts  you can actually sound a hell of a lot better! [9/10]

About Del Preston

So there I am, in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, at about 3 o'clock in the morning, looking for one thousand brown M&Ms to fill a brandy glass, or Ozzy wouldn't go on stage that night. So, Jeff Beck pops his head 'round the door, and mentions there's a little sweet shop on the edge of town. So - we go. And - it's closed. So there's me and Keith Moon and David Crosby, breaking into that little sweet shop, eh. Well, instead of a guard dog, they've got this bloody great big Bengal tiger. I managed to take out the tiger with a can of mace, but the shop owner and his son, that's a different story altogether. I had to beat them to death with their own shoes. Nasty business really. But sure enough, I got the M&Ms and Ozzy went on stage and did a great show.