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KNIGHT’S OATH
II EP

Self-released (2022)
Rating: 8/10

The mysterious Knight’s Oath hail from the United Kingdom and judging by the sound on their new three-song EP, I’d say from around 1982!

This is some antique sounding metal straight from the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal rulebook. Three tracks of stuffy, creaking metal are offered up by this band, which sounds as though they holed up in a castle keep to record this affair. And while there’s nothing original about the sound, this combo gallops like a black knight on sturdy stallion across the fens.

Opener ‘Battle For The Sacred’ has a peculiar foggy feel. Maybe it’s the almost ethereal yet lethargic vocal approach of John McBrawn who comes across more like a casual storyteller caught up in the mix, while the rest of the band marches gleefully.

This is quintessentially British, evoking images of smoking ruins, mystical moors and ancient bloodied soil. It’s also somehow doomy and Gothic, rain-sodden and dreary in spite of its trundling chords and medieval merriment. Lloyd Entwhistle’s guitar feels both nifty yet damp, and the drums of Oliver Smith play slap ‘n’ tickle with Paul Gregson’s bass. It feels authentic, striding yet claustrophobic but brimming with nostalgic charm.

‘Ride Close To The Light’ shimmers with epic pride. Here, the guitar lick is sharp as the blade as valour and might come to the fore, and yet there’s that ever present sense of gloom as the band gallops in timely fashion. There’s a feeling of expertise with each rambling structure as if the musicians involved are wise old wizards, effortlessly combing through their record collections to bring out such glinting grace.

‘The Dragon’ maintains that strange, foreboding edge as the bass thuds and drums crack. It’s not overly heavy, but by design it just has that weird British moodiness even through the brighter moments.

I look forward to a full-length release, hoping that this peculiar brood is not one of those happy accidents. For now though, Knight’s Oath just stinks of “cult” – ancient metal meandering with more rust than a weather-beaten portcullis. Good stuff!

Neil Arnold

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