As you gaze upon the cover art of In His Granite Realm you may find yourself standing in a world not like ours, winding caverns and an air of mystery greets you. Beorn’s Hall hail from New Hampshire and play blend of Black Metal that pays homage to the Pagan, Atmospheric, and Folk variety while still maintaining their own originality. In His Granite Realm is the bands third full length album and is now available via Naturmacht Productions.
This is definitely one that takes some time to grow on the listener but do not let that deter you, it makes the experience all the more worth it. I love it when bands are able to to open up doors to other worlds that you may never want to leave.
The songs presented here are long and all together epic in scale with plenty of twists and turns to keep you tuned in. Opening track Distant Torches-Baldr’s Theme is filled to the brim with catchy melodies, clean and harsh vocals, and synth work that enhances the atmosphere of the album.
There are moments where I am taken back to when I first discovered Bathory and other times I hear hints of Falkenbach and these elements are what drive the band forward.
Old Men of the Mountain is a grandiose track that starts out slow and manifests itself into a soaring melodious tome of epic proportions. To Ride at Midnight is a great song that weaves in and out of slower and faster passages that are layered with dreamy synths. The title track brings everything to a close and in a sense it is like the ending to a good book.
All in all In His Granite Realm is a satisfying listen from start to finish and is the perfect companion for long journeys and one that you wil definitely lose yourself in. I highly recommend that you give it a go if you are a metal fan as there is a lot to take away.
Rating: 4/5
The Metal Wanderlust 