In a year steeped with excessive amounts of death metal and the unspeakable depravities that go with that, I’ve been without my normal dosage of sword-swinging traditional and trve metals. Luckily, the Hellenic warriors in Diviner are out to remedy that situation with their mammoth third opus, Avaton. Since their founding in 2015, Diviner made it their business to bring burly, machismo-laden classic metal to the masses on quality platters Fallen Empires and Realms of Time. Trodding on the same bloody ground as Primal Fear and Mystic Prophecy with sojourns into Eternal Champion and Visigoth–style trve metal, Diviner cover all the traditional bases. The formula is olden but still mighty and the band’s demonstrated that they know how to put extra iron in your blood. After losing both guitarists since 2019s Realms of Time, can these defenders of the olden ways keep the glory days rolling into their third album?
Any skepticism regarding their vitality is dashed upon the rocks as soon as the instrumental opener fades and the Herculean “Mountains High” hits the shores. This is what epic trve metal should sound like! Sweeping, large-scale and full of passion, pride, and mountain goat piss, this saga drives you straight up the Mountain ov Power in Manowar-esque fashion. It’s impossible to hear this and not feel your spirit embiggened and emboldened. Those stout riffs, the brawny chorus, THAT is strength, boy! THAT is power! This one will be competing for Song o’ the Year and I fear for any who cross swords with it. With a start this massive, it would be a titanic challenge to keep things from sagging, but Diviner have the Kavorka and wield it shamelessly. “Dancing in the Fire” is another victory with chest-thumping, shield-smashing energy, and power enough to fell your foes. “Waste No Time” harkens back to the 80s metal anthem days and its simple delivery belies stealth hooks that keep me replaying it ad nauseam. It’s the perfect driving song and it kicks copious ass.
When I saw that the album wrapped with back-to-back 8-minute epics, I had concerns. I was a fool to harbor such weak thoughts and emotions, as “Hall of the Brave” is an absolute colosseum crumbler full of trve spirit and swordcore ethos. It may be long, but it ‘s all fight and no quit and it swings a big hammer from start to finish. Closer “The Battle of Marathon” borrows Iron Maiden’s penchant for grand historical epics and does a fine job retelling the tale of the bloody battle that spawned a way too long footrace. Overall the album skews closer to the epic side of things than the punchy Primal Fear style heard on past platters, but it works. No song is unworthy, but one could argue “Cyberwar” feels too light and upbeat for an album so loaded with toxic masculinity and manly virtues. “Nemecic” is good but it’s a touch less rabble-rousing than its brawling brethren. At 51 minutes, Avaton teeters on excessive length, especially with its oversized ending, but the hook factor and overall replayability offset the girth admirably.
With two new guitarists aboard, there are only moderate shifts in the Diviner sound. Teo Ross and Alex Flouros bring power and majesty to the Greek Isles and they know how to build grandiose atmospheres, and with a trace of Viking and black metal in their leads, they inject extra muscle into these war tales. They deal out driving, meaty riffs when needed, as on “Mountain High” and “Dominator,” and throw down stunning solos and inspired harmonies that make the chest puff out with a warrior’s pride. They also show how less can be more with minimalist yet effective fretwork on “Waste No Time.” I continue to be impressed with Yiannis Papanikolaou’s vocals. He sounds like a combination of Hansi Kürsch and Joe Amore (Kingcrown, ex-Nightmare) with touches of Eric Adams and Dio around the edges. He knows exactly how to sell a big metal tune and he’s great at taking a chorus to that next level (see “Mountains High” and “Waste no Time”). Heroics all around.
I measure these kinds of albums by how many times the music makes me thrust a fist of stoic defiance into the air, and Avaton leaves my sword arm shaking and sore. If not for a few slightly lesser cuts, this would be another sucker punch to the badly abused Score Safety Counter. Three albums into their career, Diviner have made a big believer out of me. They do this kind of metal so well and so consistently, to feel otherwise would be foolish and Steel is no fool.1 Get this and grow stronger.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Rock of Angels
Websites: divinerband.com | facebook.com/divinermetalband
Releases Worldwide: November 10th, 2023
