#windrose — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #windrose, aggregated by home.social.
-
I was here too. The weather was really, really shit, and we hated it. But this was one of the moments, where you think: Worth it:
-
Late start today but we're heading back out into our pirate-y ways with ThriftyTokens and Windrose!
-
Multiplayer pirate sandbox Windrose counts 1.5M box sales as it implements a better save system
🔗 https://massivelyop.com/2026/05/07/multiplayer-pirate-sandbox-windrose-counts-1-5m-box-sales-as-it-implements-a-better-save-system
#Windrose -
全てを失ったワシがもう一度海賊になる話【Windrose】 https://www.playing-games.com/1014820/ #games #gaming #GamingTrending #TrendingGames #windrose #ゲーム #ゲーム実況 #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報 #実況 #海賊 #牛沢
-
After a lot of work, I finally got my third tier ship in #Windrose last night and immediately went exploring. It has two decks of guns, with 24 pounders up top and 36 pounders below. It basically deletes enemies up to level 5 and takes just another good hit for stuff up to 10. Judging distance and leading the target are still issues for me. I ran out of bullets so had to finish the boarding of the last few ships with cutlass alone.
-
Ahoi SSD! 🏴☠️ - #Windrose, un gioco di pirati, stava silenziosamente distruggendo il tuo SSD senza che tu te ne accorgessi
Una cache del database configurata in modo errato causava scritture a oltre 108 GB all'ora, ma una patch è già disponibile.
https://www.techspot.com/news/112271-early-access-pirate-game-quietly-killing-ssd-without.html
-
Back to the High Seas in Windrose! Will we start to build our little island fortress? Playing with ThriftyTokens right now:
-
Team Spode gathered to take on a legendary pirate captain last night. #Windrose really shines when you're playing with friends. The ship battles are epic, the boarding fights are all kinds of chaotic and fun. We're coming up on the final boss of the early access game (more is coming). But we're already talking about our next adventure.
GW2 next chapter coming soon, new Dune patch is on its way, we're not going to run out of options soon.
-
-
🏴☠️ Korsan temalı Windrose'dan dev başarı! Satış rakamları açıklandı: Sadece 2 haftada 1,5 Milyon! 📉 Peki sisteminiz bu oyunu kaldırıyor mu? 16 GB RAM ve GTX 1080 Ti detayları https://teknohaberi.net/windrose-satis-miktari-sistem-gereksinimleri/ #Windrose #KrakenExpress #Gaming
-
From building massive stone forts to boarding enemy ships for loot, Windrose offers a rock-solid foundation for pirate fans.
The early-game grind is real, but a satisfying loop makes this voyage a clear standout for 2026.
Read our full preview:
https://www.gamestic.nl/2026/05/01/preview-windrose/ -
https://www.wacoca.com/games/1370231/ 海賊オープンワールドサバイバル「Windrose」，発売2週間で150万本を突破。記念トレイラーを公開 ##GAMING #Game #GameNews #games #GamingNews #PC:Windrose #Windrose/ウィンドローズ #ウィンドローズ #ゲーミング #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報 #システム:協力プレイ #ジャンル:RPG #ジャンル:アクション #ジャンル:アドベンチャー #テーマ:海洋 #プラットフォーム:PC #掲載日:2026/05/0112:24 #編集部:maru #記事種別:ニュース #記事種別:ムービー
-
Windrose expects its next major content update will take ‘at least six months to deliver’
🔗 https://massivelyop.com/2026/04/29/windrose-expects-its-next-major-content-update-will-take-at-least-six-months-to-deliver
#Windrose -
It seems that the answer to survival in #Windrose is to channel your inner Captain Jack Sparrow and instead of traveling by ship you travel in your little starter one man boat.
You will eventually be surrounded by 5-15 Blackbeard ships firing from all cannons. But they do not hit you.
Happy sailing to everyone 😎
-
Ungewöhnlich hohe SSD-Last: Windrose-Entwickler kündigen Lösung an https://www.computerbase.de/news/storage/ungewoehnlich-hohe-ssd-last-windrose-entwickler-kuendigen-loesung-an.97084/ #Windrose #SSD
-
Chat, it is time. Time for another Impy-Stream! We go sailing in Windrose tonight, just exploring, building, faffing. Chatting. New redeems with a surprise, be sure to give it a whirl!
-
Speedrunning Windrose
Second boss down; will Team Spode have finished with Windrose before our month of server time is up?
-
Live right now with our good buddy and friend ThriftyTokens co-opping some #Windrose join on up!
-
We are on a Mission from God!
#PastafariLife #FSM #PiratesAgainstGlobalWarming #gaming #Windrose
-
Ich find ja #Windrose echt gut, aber dass die uns gleich mit dem ersten Boss gefühlt einen #SoulsLike Kampf "gönnen", find ich dann doch ein bisschen zermürbend 😅
Ich bitte an der Stelle zu bedenken, ich bin über Mitte 40 und nimmer so flink an Maus und Tastatur wie noch mit Anfang/Mitte 20 😂 -
I have been playing #windrose for a day now and I really like the Pirate setting but as a solo player it is way to grindy for my taste.
Luckily there are a mods for that 😎
I think this game shines on the base building options. So many parts early on. And you can stick them together in whatever crazy angles you come up with.
And it runs perfectly on #Linux #linuxmint
-
You know you can remove those death markers in Windrose when you die at sea and the game just does not remove them for you? Right click, simple as that.
-
It runs, dunno how well or to what capacity. But it runs.
#windrose shall sail.
Tomorrow, after work most probably.
Stupid being an adult.
-
MOP Podcast 563: #Windrose, #BookofTravels, #TurtleWoW, #AshesofCreation, #ProjectGorgon, #Loftia, #LOTRO, #WorldofWarcraft, #GuildWars2, and more #MMORPG news!
📻 https://massivelyop.com/2026/04/21/massively-op-podcast-episode-563-in-the-name-of-the-windrose -
Windrose: Yo ho ho, it’s the pirate life for me
The new Age of Piracy game from Kraken Express and Pocketpair adds ship combat to the familiar post-Valheim survival-crafting genre.
https://chasingdings.com/2026/04/21/windrose-yo-ho-ho-its-the-pirate-life-for-me/
-
I've got not one but two new (to me) games to try out tonight! First up, Space Tales, (thanks #keymailer) a really gorgeous looking sci-fi RTS. Following up after that will be Windrose, an also really gorgeous survival-crafter pirate RPG! #gaming #spacetales #windrose
-
Surprise Steam Hit Windrose Is The Black Flag Successor Ubisoft Tried (And Failed) To Make
-
https://www.wacoca.com/games/1360119/ 海賊PvEサバイバルゲーム『ウィンドローズ』同接数“約7万人”に。Steamレビューは「非常に好評」を記録し人気爆発 – 電ファミニコゲーマー ##GAMING #Game #GameNews #games #GamingNews #KrakenExpress #PC #Pocketpair #steam #Tsushimahiro #Windrose #ウィンドローズ #オープンワールド #オンライン #クラフト #ゲーミング #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報 #サバイバル #サバイバルクラフト #ニュース #マルチプレイ #最大8人
-
https://www.wacoca.com/games/1359853/ 海賊PvEサバイバルゲーム『Windrose』の早期アクセスが本日配信開始。Steam同接「2万3000人」を突破 – 電ファミニコゲーマー ##GAMING #Game #GameNews #games #GamingNews #katamari #Windrose #ゲーミング #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報 #ニュース #ポケットペア #ポケットペアパブリッシング #株式会社ポケットペア
-
Pocketpair-pubbed multiplayer pirate survivalbox Windrose enters early access April 14
🔗 https://massivelyop.com/2026/04/09/pocketpair-pubbed-multiplayer-pirate-survivalbox-windrose-enters-early-access-april-14
#Windrose #Survivalbox #Pocketpair -
https://www.europesays.com/ro/138300/ (VIDEO) Camionul electric chinezesc Windrose E700 a ajuns în Europa înaintea lui Tesla Semi şi a fost explorat în primele teste | PiataAuto.md #Afaceri #ajuns #Business #camion #e700 #electric #europa #explorat #inainte #RO #Română #Romania #Romanian #semi #tesla #teste #windrose
-
Windrose thoughts (and #pirate voice) #gaming #windrose #streaming #nextfest #survivalgame #voices #owncast #loops
This was fun! If you have the time, I reccomend checking it out!
Check out my livestream: https://dingusmacdongle.live
-
I've gone live! Don't be a dingus! Come Check it out!
Resident Evil: Requiem and Windrose (Demo)
#owncast #streaming #gaming #dingus #videogames #linux #mask #selfhosted #chicago #videogames #livestream #horror #residentevil #requiem #windrose #nextfest
-
Steam Next Fest: Windrose, Tides of Blazefall, Twilight Imperium, Panzer Dragoon Zwei
Short takes to finish out the last of the games I played as part of the Steam Next Fest.
#SteamGames #PanzerDragoon #SteamNextFest #TidesOfBlazefall #TwilightImperium #windrose
-
A small result from analyzing a long series of meteorological observations for Calgary.
The openair package makes it surprisingly straightforward to combine space–time interpolation and visualization within a single workflow, even for large datasets.
Here are the sectoral (wind direction × wind speed) mean air temperatures for Calgary.
What’s striking is how clearly the seasonal patterns emerge:
– a cold north-east sector in winter;
– a warm southern and southwestern sector in summer;
– transitional zones in spring and autumn;
– a strong Chinook influence from the southwest.The polar format works exceptionally well here — the structure of the local climate becomes obvious at a glance, without the need for long tables or detailed descriptions.
Follow the #ClimateOfCalgary hashtag.
#Rstats #DataVisualization #OpenData #ClimateData #WeatherAnalysis #Calgary #DataScience #Environment #Research #Alberta #Canada #UrbanHealth #METAR #AviationWeather #Meteorology #DataAnalysis #WindRose #Chinook #WindDirection
-
Border work is always a nice thing to do ☺️
#map #mapmaking #mapmaker #WIP #cartography #RPG #JDR #TTRPG #compass #compassrose #windrose #pirate #fantasymap #procreate
-
Listening #WindRose in the morning traffic jam is priceless.
https://open.spotify.com/track/74KcyplsJhK4sh6Zp4HGbE?si=u3mn5hjiT0Cvg-seuY_r8g
-
Europäisches Kultur- und Folklorefestival im Herzen von Ronsdorf
Am 30. September wird der Bandwirkerplatz Teil des „Netzwerks Europas“. Denn um 11.30 Uhr gastieren rund 150 Musizierende,…
#Wuppertal #Deutschland #Deutsch #DE #Schlagzeilen #Headlines #Nachrichten #News #Europe #Europa #EU #150 #Bandwirkerplatz #Erich #Europäische #Europäischer #Fried #Friedemann #friedliches #Germany #Gesamtschule #Herzen #Klingende #Nordrhein-Westfalen #Ronsdorf #Windrose
https://www.europesays.com/de/450265/ -
Meldung unklar: #Windrose Technology steht angeblich vor dem Aus.
Laut Operations-Direktor Kyle Maki ist das Unternehmen seit 90 Tagen mit der #Gehaltszahlung im Rückstand und hat kein Geld mehr. Die Belegschaft arbeite aus einem Trailer, versprochene #E-Lkw seien nie ausgeliefert worden.
Maki erhebt schwere Vorwürfe gegen CEO Wen Han und spricht von irreführendem #Marketing.
-
Wind Rose in Salt Lake City, 24th April 2024. Awesome show! 🏷️ #ColorADay #Concert #DiggyDiggyHole #DwarfMetal #EastCoastKin #Metal #Music #Photography #RedWed #WindRose
-
Ancient Bards – Artifex Review
By Killjoy
Italy’s Ancient Bards was one of my formative bands as a budding metalhead. Their original trilogy (The Alliance of the Kings, Soulless Child, A New Dawn Ending) received tons of playtime as I dove headfirst through my twin gateways of symphonic and power metal years ago. Then, one fateful day amidst my excitement for a brand new album, I happened upon Eldritch Elitist’s review of Origine by way of a Google search, the first I ever read on Angry Metal Guy. Its brutal and unflinching honesty initially shocked my naïve, uninitiated mind but though I would have rated Origine a touch higher, I had to agree that it was the weakest Ancient Bards record thus far. And now that fifth album, Artifex, is here, I’m relieved to report that this is still the case.
Ancient Bards have now completed their transition from symphonic power metal to power symphonic metal. Songwriter Daniele Mazza’s orchestral and choral arrangements were always important, but now they positively drench the music. It’s impossible not to hear Epica in the unabashed bombastic excess, an association further cemented by a guest appearance from Mark Jansen as he practically breathes fire delivering his lines in “The Empire of Black Death.” Sara Squadrani’s voice sounds sharper than ever, soaring and slicing like the Black Crystal Sword that serves as the focal point for the Bards’ epic saga. Martino Garattoni’s frisky bass noodling crosses over from Ne Obliviscaris to Artifex—especially echoing his other band when paired with the guest violin1 in “Soulbound Symphony”—and offers rich counterpoint melodies while filling out the lower end nicely.
Ancient Bards have grown more confident with increasingly complex songwriting. The choir’s lines are largely distinct from Squadrani’s, discontinuing the prior tendency to dilute her lead vocals. The operatic swells that punctuate “Soulbound Symphony” and “My Prima Nox” supercharge the music with euphoric energy. Further, “My Blood and Blade” literally channels the climactic power of Ancient Bards’ earlier work by cleverly weaving an identical choral melody from A New Dawn Ending’s “Showdown” into this chapter’s final battle. Unfortunately, some of the issues that cropped up on Origine persist on Artifex, most noticeably when the orchestral compositions evoke the heavy-handed, “tell, don’t show” style common in movie trailers (“Ministers of Light,” “Luminance and Abyss,” “Mystic Echoes”). Regardless of how strong each orchestral segment is, it’s disappointing that they’ve essentially supplanted Claudio Pietronik’s guitar leads, which are usually buried underneath everything else outside of their allotted shredding time during the bridges. Artifex is an improvement in many technical respects, but it sometimes feels like the symphonic elements have become the end rather than the means.
Artifex has no shortage of adventurous and exciting moments, but the overall pacing makes it less enthralling as a whole. The hour-long album sags under the weight of two ballads (“Unending,” “Sea of Solitude”) and the two bookending narrative tracks (“Luminance and Abyss,” “Artifex”). “Unending” is particularly troublesome, as it clotheslines the momentum garnered from back-to-back guest vocalists Francesco Cavalieri of Wind Rose (“The Vessel”) and the aforementioned Mark Jansen of Epica (“The Empire of Black Death”). This generic love song stands in stark contrast with other Bards ballads that advanced character development with heart-wrenching topics like the loss of an infant child and, crucially, weren’t afraid to speed things up to keep the listener engaged. Luckily, Squadrani’s raw talent as a singer functions as a safety net when the songwriting fizzles and falls off the track. The other major speedbump is the Suite of Requiem and Solace (the final four songs replacing the customary epic concluding track), which takes a bit too long to wrap up the story after the electric resolution of “My Blood and Blade.”
Artifex is a wild ride with higher highs but also lower lows than ever before. When the symphonic compositions are integrated well, it feels exhilarating; when they feel forced, the songs fall flat. I’m not convinced that moving away from power metal is the right choice, as the guitarists are underutilized in this new style. But, while I don’t agree with every creative decision, I still enjoy Artifex and its masterful performances. It’s a humbling privilege to write the next Ancient Bards review after stumbling onto Eldritch’s years ago. Call it nostalgia if you like, but their earnest, heartfelt music still makes me happy. By that measure, I dub Artifex a success.
Rating: Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Limb Music
Websites: ancientbards.bandcamp.com | ancientbards.com | facebook.com/ancientbards
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2025#2025 #30 #AncientBards #Apr25 #Artifex #Cinematic #Epica #ItalianMetal #LimbMusic #NeObliviscaris #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SymphonicMetal #SymphonicPowerMetal #WindRose
-
Ancient Bards – Artifex Review
By Killjoy
Italy’s Ancient Bards was one of my formative bands as a budding metalhead. Their original trilogy (The Alliance of the Kings, Soulless Child, A New Dawn Ending) received tons of playtime as I dove headfirst through my twin gateways of symphonic and power metal years ago. Then, one fateful day amidst my excitement for a brand new album, I happened upon Eldritch Elitist’s review of Origine by way of a Google search, the first I ever read on Angry Metal Guy. Its brutal and unflinching honesty initially shocked my naïve, uninitiated mind but though I would have rated Origine a touch higher, I had to agree that it was the weakest Ancient Bards record thus far. And now that fifth album, Artifex, is here, I’m relieved to report that this is still the case.
Ancient Bards have now completed their transition from symphonic power metal to power symphonic metal. Songwriter Daniele Mazza’s orchestral and choral arrangements were always important, but now they positively drench the music. It’s impossible not to hear Epica in the unabashed bombastic excess, an association further cemented by a guest appearance from Mark Jansen as he practically breathes fire delivering his lines in “The Empire of Black Death.” Sara Squadrani’s voice sounds sharper than ever, soaring and slicing like the Black Crystal Sword that serves as the focal point for the Bards’ epic saga. Martino Garattoni’s frisky bass noodling crosses over from Ne Obliviscaris to Artifex—especially echoing his other band when paired with the guest violin1 in “Soulbound Symphony”—and offers rich counterpoint melodies while filling out the lower end nicely.
Ancient Bards have grown more confident with increasingly complex songwriting. The choir’s lines are largely distinct from Squadrani’s, discontinuing the prior tendency to dilute her lead vocals. The operatic swells that punctuate “Soulbound Symphony” and “My Prima Nox” supercharge the music with euphoric energy. Further, “My Blood and Blade” literally channels the climactic power of Ancient Bards’ earlier work by cleverly weaving an identical choral melody from A New Dawn Ending’s “Showdown” into this chapter’s final battle. Unfortunately, some of the issues that cropped up on Origine persist on Artifex, most noticeably when the orchestral compositions evoke the heavy-handed, “tell, don’t show” style common in movie trailers (“Ministers of Light,” “Luminance and Abyss,” “Mystic Echoes”). Regardless of how strong each orchestral segment is, it’s disappointing that they’ve essentially supplanted Claudio Pietronik’s guitar leads, which are usually buried underneath everything else outside of their allotted shredding time during the bridges. Artifex is an improvement in many technical respects, but it sometimes feels like the symphonic elements have become the end rather than the means.
Artifex has no shortage of adventurous and exciting moments, but the overall pacing makes it less enthralling as a whole. The hour-long album sags under the weight of two ballads (“Unending,” “Sea of Solitude”) and the two bookending narrative tracks (“Luminance and Abyss,” “Artifex”). “Unending” is particularly troublesome, as it clotheslines the momentum garnered from back-to-back guest vocalists Francesco Cavalieri of Wind Rose (“The Vessel”) and the aforementioned Mark Jansen of Epica (“The Empire of Black Death”). This generic love song stands in stark contrast with other Bards ballads that advanced character development with heart-wrenching topics like the loss of an infant child and, crucially, weren’t afraid to speed things up to keep the listener engaged. Luckily, Squadrani’s raw talent as a singer functions as a safety net when the songwriting fizzles and falls off the track. The other major speedbump is the Suite of Requiem and Solace (the final four songs replacing the customary epic concluding track), which takes a bit too long to wrap up the story after the electric resolution of “My Blood and Blade.”
Artifex is a wild ride with higher highs but also lower lows than ever before. When the symphonic compositions are integrated well, it feels exhilarating; when they feel forced, the songs fall flat. I’m not convinced that moving away from power metal is the right choice, as the guitarists are underutilized in this new style. But, while I don’t agree with every creative decision, I still enjoy Artifex and its masterful performances. It’s a humbling privilege to write the next Ancient Bards review after stumbling onto Eldritch’s years ago. Call it nostalgia if you like, but their earnest, heartfelt music still makes me happy. By that measure, I dub Artifex a success.
Rating: Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Limb Music
Websites: ancientbards.bandcamp.com | ancientbards.com | facebook.com/ancientbards
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2025#2025 #30 #AncientBards #Apr25 #Artifex #Cinematic #Epica #ItalianMetal #LimbMusic #NeObliviscaris #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SymphonicMetal #SymphonicPowerMetal #WindRose
-
Ancient Bards – Artifex Review
By Killjoy
Italy’s Ancient Bards was one of my formative bands as a budding metalhead. Their original trilogy (The Alliance of the Kings, Soulless Child, A New Dawn Ending) received tons of playtime as I dove headfirst through my twin gateways of symphonic and power metal years ago. Then, one fateful day amidst my excitement for a brand new album, I happened upon Eldritch Elitist’s review of Origine by way of a Google search, the first I ever read on Angry Metal Guy. Its brutal and unflinching honesty initially shocked my naïve, uninitiated mind but though I would have rated Origine a touch higher, I had to agree that it was the weakest Ancient Bards record thus far. And now that fifth album, Artifex, is here, I’m relieved to report that this is still the case.
Ancient Bards have now completed their transition from symphonic power metal to power symphonic metal. Songwriter Daniele Mazza’s orchestral and choral arrangements were always important, but now they positively drench the music. It’s impossible not to hear Epica in the unabashed bombastic excess, an association further cemented by a guest appearance from Mark Jansen as he practically breathes fire delivering his lines in “The Empire of Black Death.” Sara Squadrani’s voice sounds sharper than ever, soaring and slicing like the Black Crystal Sword that serves as the focal point for the Bards’ epic saga. Martino Garattoni’s frisky bass noodling crosses over from Ne Obliviscaris to Artifex—especially echoing his other band when paired with the guest violin1 in “Soulbound Symphony”—and offers rich counterpoint melodies while filling out the lower end nicely.
Ancient Bards have grown more confident with increasingly complex songwriting. The choir’s lines are largely distinct from Squadrani’s, discontinuing the prior tendency to dilute her lead vocals. The operatic swells that punctuate “Soulbound Symphony” and “My Prima Nox” supercharge the music with euphoric energy. Further, “My Blood and Blade” literally channels the climactic power of Ancient Bards’ earlier work by cleverly weaving an identical choral melody from A New Dawn Ending’s “Showdown” into this chapter’s final battle. Unfortunately, some of the issues that cropped up on Origine persist on Artifex, most noticeably when the orchestral compositions evoke the heavy-handed, “tell, don’t show” style common in movie trailers (“Ministers of Light,” “Luminance and Abyss,” “Mystic Echoes”). Regardless of how strong each orchestral segment is, it’s disappointing that they’ve essentially supplanted Claudio Pietronik’s guitar leads, which are usually buried underneath everything else outside of their allotted shredding time during the bridges. Artifex is an improvement in many technical respects, but it sometimes feels like the symphonic elements have become the end rather than the means.
Artifex has no shortage of adventurous and exciting moments, but the overall pacing makes it less enthralling as a whole. The hour-long album sags under the weight of two ballads (“Unending,” “Sea of Solitude”) and the two bookending narrative tracks (“Luminance and Abyss,” “Artifex”). “Unending” is particularly troublesome, as it clotheslines the momentum garnered from back-to-back guest vocalists Francesco Cavalieri of Wind Rose (“The Vessel”) and the aforementioned Mark Jansen of Epica (“The Empire of Black Death”). This generic love song stands in stark contrast with other Bards ballads that advanced character development with heart-wrenching topics like the loss of an infant child and, crucially, weren’t afraid to speed things up to keep the listener engaged. Luckily, Squadrani’s raw talent as a singer functions as a safety net when the songwriting fizzles and falls off the track. The other major speedbump is the Suite of Requiem and Solace (the final four songs replacing the customary epic concluding track), which takes a bit too long to wrap up the story after the electric resolution of “My Blood and Blade.”
Artifex is a wild ride with higher highs but also lower lows than ever before. When the symphonic compositions are integrated well, it feels exhilarating; when they feel forced, the songs fall flat. I’m not convinced that moving away from power metal is the right choice, as the guitarists are underutilized in this new style. But, while I don’t agree with every creative decision, I still enjoy Artifex and its masterful performances. It’s a humbling privilege to write the next Ancient Bards review after stumbling onto Eldritch’s years ago. Call it nostalgia if you like, but their earnest, heartfelt music still makes me happy. By that measure, I dub Artifex a success.
Rating: Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Limb Music
Websites: ancientbards.bandcamp.com | ancientbards.com | facebook.com/ancientbards
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2025#2025 #30 #AncientBards #Apr25 #Artifex #Cinematic #Epica #ItalianMetal #LimbMusic #NeObliviscaris #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SymphonicMetal #SymphonicPowerMetal #WindRose
-
Ancient Bards – Artifex Review
By Killjoy
Italy’s Ancient Bards was one of my formative bands as a budding metalhead. Their original trilogy (The Alliance of the Kings, Soulless Child, A New Dawn Ending) received tons of playtime as I dove headfirst through my twin gateways of symphonic and power metal years ago. Then, one fateful day amidst my excitement for a brand new album, I happened upon Eldritch Elitist’s review of Origine by way of a Google search, the first I ever read on Angry Metal Guy. Its brutal and unflinching honesty initially shocked my naïve, uninitiated mind but though I would have rated Origine a touch higher, I had to agree that it was the weakest Ancient Bards record thus far. And now that fifth album, Artifex, is here, I’m relieved to report that this is still the case.
Ancient Bards have now completed their transition from symphonic power metal to power symphonic metal. Songwriter Daniele Mazza’s orchestral and choral arrangements were always important, but now they positively drench the music. It’s impossible not to hear Epica in the unabashed bombastic excess, an association further cemented by a guest appearance from Mark Jansen as he practically breathes fire delivering his lines in “The Empire of Black Death.” Sara Squadrani’s voice sounds sharper than ever, soaring and slicing like the Black Crystal Sword that serves as the focal point for the Bards’ epic saga. Martino Garattoni’s frisky bass noodling crosses over from Ne Obliviscaris to Artifex—especially echoing his other band when paired with the guest violin1 in “Soulbound Symphony”—and offers rich counterpoint melodies while filling out the lower end nicely.
Ancient Bards have grown more confident with increasingly complex songwriting. The choir’s lines are largely distinct from Squadrani’s, discontinuing the prior tendency to dilute her lead vocals. The operatic swells that punctuate “Soulbound Symphony” and “My Prima Nox” supercharge the music with euphoric energy. Further, “My Blood and Blade” literally channels the climactic power of Ancient Bards’ earlier work by cleverly weaving an identical choral melody from A New Dawn Ending’s “Showdown” into this chapter’s final battle. Unfortunately, some of the issues that cropped up on Origine persist on Artifex, most noticeably when the orchestral compositions evoke the heavy-handed, “tell, don’t show” style common in movie trailers (“Ministers of Light,” “Luminance and Abyss,” “Mystic Echoes”). Regardless of how strong each orchestral segment is, it’s disappointing that they’ve essentially supplanted Claudio Pietronik’s guitar leads, which are usually buried underneath everything else outside of their allotted shredding time during the bridges. Artifex is an improvement in many technical respects, but it sometimes feels like the symphonic elements have become the end rather than the means.
Artifex has no shortage of adventurous and exciting moments, but the overall pacing makes it less enthralling as a whole. The hour-long album sags under the weight of two ballads (“Unending,” “Sea of Solitude”) and the two bookending narrative tracks (“Luminance and Abyss,” “Artifex”). “Unending” is particularly troublesome, as it clotheslines the momentum garnered from back-to-back guest vocalists Francesco Cavalieri of Wind Rose (“The Vessel”) and the aforementioned Mark Jansen of Epica (“The Empire of Black Death”). This generic love song stands in stark contrast with other Bards ballads that advanced character development with heart-wrenching topics like the loss of an infant child and, crucially, weren’t afraid to speed things up to keep the listener engaged. Luckily, Squadrani’s raw talent as a singer functions as a safety net when the songwriting fizzles and falls off the track. The other major speedbump is the Suite of Requiem and Solace (the final four songs replacing the customary epic concluding track), which takes a bit too long to wrap up the story after the electric resolution of “My Blood and Blade.”
Artifex is a wild ride with higher highs but also lower lows than ever before. When the symphonic compositions are integrated well, it feels exhilarating; when they feel forced, the songs fall flat. I’m not convinced that moving away from power metal is the right choice, as the guitarists are underutilized in this new style. But, while I don’t agree with every creative decision, I still enjoy Artifex and its masterful performances. It’s a humbling privilege to write the next Ancient Bards review after stumbling onto Eldritch’s years ago. Call it nostalgia if you like, but their earnest, heartfelt music still makes me happy. By that measure, I dub Artifex a success.
Rating: Good!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Limb Music
Websites: ancientbards.bandcamp.com | ancientbards.com | facebook.com/ancientbards
Releases Worldwide: April 25th, 2025#2025 #30 #AncientBards #Apr25 #Artifex #Cinematic #Epica #ItalianMetal #LimbMusic #NeObliviscaris #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SymphonicMetal #SymphonicPowerMetal #WindRose
-
Znalazłem takie cudo. To się nazywa DWARF METAL.
Brzmi dobrze, choć wszystko jest o krasnoludach. Ale czy nie o to chodzi aby się bawić? #dwarfmetal #windrose #music -
Oh, I like this one 😁
#map #mapmaking #mapmaker #cartography #rpg #jdr #fantasymap #fantasy #skull #compass #windrose #pirate
