Atorc is an East Anglian folk power metal band bringing the traditional folk/power metal elements that we all know and love from the 80/90s but decided to not do anything incredibly new to it.
Big risk in my opinion due to the droves of folk and power metal bands striving to be in the shadow of their peers, but I think it paid off for them generally as i found myself nodding along and being taken by surprise at some of the guitar and drum work which really made the tracks shine.
The songs are familiar and warm with Lyrical themes which were quite enjoyable even though typical of the genre but I don't think we here for anything particularly groundbreaking conceptually from folk metal.
Its basically just 'Mead, battle,culture and elder scrolls'. pretty much covers the album.
Overall an enjoyable listen with some heavy/technical unique sections and a merriment of scandinavian activities, This album is definitely going on in the background on one of my d&d nights in future.
7/10 RIFFS
https://www.facebook.com/AtorcOfficial/
https://atorcofficial.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-raven-banner-pre-order