TEMNEIN

Tales: Of Humanity And Greed INDEPENDENT/BLOOD BLAST

Gallic melodeath historians reveal their class

Temnein have been peddling conceptual melodeath since 2009, yet the metal scene still remains largely unruffled by their riffdriven darkness. Tales… deserves to change that, bringing the quintet’s previously genre-allegiant tunes to new heights with divergent flourishes. While these songs narrate myths from across ancient cultures, each is a potential stand-out, taking cues from death/doom, prog, folk and more. A Few Drops Of Blood

carries major Paradise Lost vibes, while Rise Of The Sontarans is peppier with power metal drumming – before Tales… wraps on a 10-minute finale that feels half its length. For melodeath diehards, this is a must-listen. ■■■■■■■■■■

FOR FANS OF: Insonium, Amon Amarth, Amorphis MATT MILLS