Skiltron – Legacy of Blood

Skiltron is an Argentinian Power Metal act, one that managed to surprise me with its longer than expected history. Under its current moniker it has been active since the year 2004; Prior to this, however, the band was known as Century, and was formed back in 1997. This adds up to almost twenty years worth of experience as a band (just in case anyone was wondering), which shows more and more as the album progresses. Legacy of Blood as this, the fifth and latest installment into Skiltron’s discography is called, contains a grand total of eight tracks (nine, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on the digipack version), of somewhat varying quality. Of course you are almost always going to have favourite tracks and songs on more or less any release, but in the case of Legacy of Blood i get the feeling that the band has set them in order: Each track seems just a little bit better than the last. Not a bad way to build up a record if you ask me, since it helps you to immerse yourself more and more into the music and ambience that the five musicians work hard to create as the album advances. It should be noted, however, that this does not mean that the first track on the album, for instance (which is entitled ”Highland Blood”, by the way) is a bad one; it merely means that all the other tracks present on Legacy of Blood are even better. And, as follows logically from my above-mentioned conclusion, my favourite track is the last track, the bonus track: ”I’m Coming Home”. Sadly, this one could not be found on YouTube, so I have found the next best thing: ”All Men Die”, the last official (if you will) song on Legacy of Blood. But preferences and favouritism aside, Skiltron is a skilled (pun somewhat intended) and experienced Power Metal act, with a strong Folk influence, both in the form of their lyrical themes and more concrete in the form of a very talented and much used bagpibe player. All in all the band has perfected blending the two genres; Or, given the age of the band, it is probably more likely that they helped lay the foundation to what would eventually blossom into these two fine genres. Party music at its finest, very much recommended for fans of Ensiferum, Equilibrium, Blind Guardian and, to some extent, Rhapsody of Fire.

http://www.skiltron.net