Vesperia’s EP The Iron Tempests and it’s a bit of a hit and miss release – whilst having some strong moments, there’s also elements that do appear to need a little bit of work.
At three tracks in duration, it does feel a little on the short side, especially as the first track The Western Tempests does feel more like an introductory song than a full-blown track. The track begins fairly simplistically, taking a while to get moving, and the song as a whole continues in much the same fashion. There’s no faulting the ability of the musicians, as the massive-sounding soundscapes are stunning, but it does feel like wasted potential – it doesn’t quite have legs, sounding more like a fleshed-out introduction than a song in its own right.
However, second track Iron Saga has more bite and momentum, serving as the highlight of the EP, and it’s a fantastic listen that will get your head banging along. The vocal performance is particularly strong on this song, the meatiness of the screams juxtaposing tremendously against the melodic synthesised sections, and it comes across as a track that will make a real impact on you in a live environment.
Unfortunately, the EP has somewhat of an anticlimax, closing with a cover of Edvard Grieg’s Hall Of The Mountain King. The style and delivery sound out of place when compared to the two previous tracks, and it almost feels like they’ve included it simply to give a little more length to the release.
The Iron Tempests certainly isn’t bad – but unfortunately on the other hand, it doesn’t quite have the momentum to be an EP that will stick with you after you’ve finished listening to it.
5/10
