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EMISSARY
Emissary EP

Self-released (2022)
Rating: 9/10

Finland, heavy metal wise, is known for its cavernous death metal bands, but this trio out of Helsinki has mastered the art of blasting out straight up heavy metal.

This is some seriously fiery metal riddled with wild axe work, crushing percussion and a vocal blitz that scorches the ears. If you want to hear a band that takes 80s authenticity but ramps it up even further, then look no further than this heap of staggering, pulverising Goth frenzy.

Propelled by the vocal velocity of bassist Iiro and with guitar work being the equivalent of an exocet missile, one can only marvel at this composition. The green smoke on the cover which engulfs the band should have fogged the cover completely just to create an even more metal atmosphere, but just dump this in the stereo and prepare to be bewildered by its annihilating complexity.

Imagine a power metal version of, say, Watchtower and just be flattened by the shredding fire of ‘Rising Order’ where Dimi Pontiac (Ranger) just coats the ears in white heat as his axe fizzes and hustles like some long forgotten speed metal classic from 1986.

I played ‘Rising Order’ seven times before even embarking on the rest of the EP, and then I was duly smoked by the splendid ‘Tales From The Third Age’ which comes drenched in maniacal percussion, jarring axe work and the Gothic commands of the vocal booms. There’s a strong air of the dramatic and the theatrical here, the band never resting on a particular groove, just flexing within a bombastic and barbaric power metal framework.

‘Shattered illusion’ just continues the impact, where the axe work acts like a million paper cuts to the face as the gang chants are broken by those soaring powerhouse vocals which rise into the heavens in truly Gothic fashion.

Emissary remains heavy as hell in spite of its fleeting dynamics, but there’s nothing cold or harsh about the technicality on offer. ‘Corrupt Champion’ provides militant drumming while the melody hints at a shimmering Black Sabbath tone before a slamming trudge prevails. However, the vocals here are even more dramatic, booming across the sky like a rage of angels and casting grey clouds of doom until Iiro cracks the zenith with a nerve-shattering wail as the trio embarks on a steady gallop.

Closer ‘The Attunement’ is a speed metal hammer to the cranium, and again that crisp guitar sound shatters glass. I’ve lost count at how many times I’ve dived into this EP, constantly marvelling at its molten metal madness.

The band may share their moniker with several bands but their sound stands alone, and Emissary have produced a sizzling, firecracker of an opus that crackles with heat and brims with arrogance and cocksure brilliance and spectacle.

Neil Arnold

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