Review: Dragoncorpse – The Fall of House Abbarath

Style: power metal, deathcore (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Dragonforce, Inferi, Unleash the Archers, Worm Shephard, Brojob
Country: International
Release date: 1 November 2024

“My liege, the great dragon Xerdym has been spotted at the edge of our border. Reports claim that he has somehow gained access to The Profane Tomb of Nefren’kah and in it found the artifact known to humans as simply the Deathcore.”

I turned, the crest upon my chest plate gleaming ruby red in the waning sunlight, a stark reminder of my Abbarathian royal bloodline and of my holy duty to my people. Beneath its sheathe, the sword at my hip, Heartseeker, held a long unquenched thirst for the blood of a mighty beast. Forged from the legendary power metal, no sword dared match its sheen or cutting edge. The mere sight of it had inspired generations of bards to belt and strum away at ludicrous speeds. But long days in the castle had left me haggard, and yet I shed that visage like a lizard’s skin at the prospect of adventure. As the waning rays of the crimson sun met the tears in my eyes, my gruff, commanding—yet sensual—voice spoke, “Rally the men. Tonight we feast on Dragoncorpse.”

Not since The Drakketh Saga, had I left the castle walls. My nostrils, long too accustomed to the dank and musty odors of Medieval life, drank the fresh air eagerly and I broke my steed into a familiar gallop. Past fields and forests my company sped, the wind at our backs guiding me and my power metal blade towards adventure. But we quickly realized all was not all as it seems.

The taint of the Deathcore had begun to take hold of the land, and cataclysmically heavy breakdowns in reality were present at every turn. From those breakdowns, emerged vicious harpies that shrieked and pounded their awful drums at every given opportunity. Thankfully, my bard is quite adept with his lute, and was able to match each moment of the harpy’s ferocity with equal moments of catchy melodicism. He’s also quite the songbird, with a falsetto to make even the choirboys blush. At that moment, I knew this quest would long be recalled at feasts and campfires alike. 

Still, “A Quest For Truth” had only just begun, so I soldiered on. Perhaps the notion was merely a “Whisper on the Wind,” but in my heart I already knew the truth. While I was pontificating, my company and I covered vast distances, careful when we came upon more breakdowns and yet growing more daring with each step. Finally, we came upon him, the great dragon Xerdym, mighty Deathcore in hand. 

With naught but a whip of the beast’s tail, great swathes of my company were slain. Unable to hear my bard’s inspiring songs, men cried, broken underneath the weight of their armor and steeds. And still I stood facing Xerdym, his great maw rumbling with the makings of balefire. I bared Heartseeker, the power metal blade glinting the dawnlight and reverberating with the memories of adventures passed. At that moment, the dragon Xerdym knew only two things: “Fear and Hunger.”

I rushed the beast with vigor casting down Deathcore harpy’s with naught but suggestions from Heartseeker. Between each pounding of my heart I could hear my bard wailing and strumming away over the din of the harpy’s screams. I dodged columns of flame and scales and slowly but surely closed the distance towards Xerdym. He writhed in the light of the power metal blade, but so did I amongst the taint of the Deathcore. As the blade earned its moniker, so did Xerdym claim another victim. Would this tale be known as The Fall of House Abbarath. It would so seem, and yet I had produced a Dragoncorpse.

Recommended tracks: A Quest for Truth, Fear and Hunger
You may also like: Obsidious, Demonic Resurrection
Final verdict: 8/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page

Label: Shattered Earth Records – Facebook | Official Website

Dragoncorpse is:
– Noah Nikolas Laidlaw (bass)
– Justin Gogan (drums)
– Kris Chayer (guitars)
– Mardy Leith (vocals)
– Mark Marin (orchestrations)