I’m not a psychoanalyst or a therapist, nor am I the hybrid of the two professions known throughout the industry as an “analrapist,” but that doesn’t keep me from attempting to understand almost everything I encounter from a psychological point of view. Take musical taste, for instance. I usually assume that people who love death, thrash, and the more vicious forms of black metal deal with some unresolved anger issues, that fans of sadboi melodeath have unhealed wounds within their souls, and that those who delve deeply into the avant-garde and dissonant spheres probably have enormous amounts of self-hatred and can’t allow themselves to enjoy anything that might actually be good. Now, as a stereotypical power metal enjoyer, I’ve always been aware that the genre helps me deal with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy by placing a sword, hammer, or plasma rifle into my hands and boosting my XP to heroic levels. Power metal makes me feel like I can handle anything life throws at me, whether it be an intimidating DIY project, an unwanted social obligation, or the various horrors that come with being a parent. I don’t listen to the cheesiest of all metals as often these days, but it has gotten me through some difficult periods in my life and will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason.
Made up of members and former members of Skelator, Greyhawk, Gatekeeper, and Ravenous, Glyph brings together some of my favorite traditional/power metal musicians from recent years as they throw their hat into the space fantasy ring. Very much channeling Gloryhammer, Glyph shows shades of Sabaton and Alestorm as they offer up some simple, modern power metal. Embedded single “Volaråd”—essentially Glyph’s version of Alestorm’s “Drink”—has literally not left my head for weeks now; if I wake up to piss at 3am, which I do every night, this chorus will undoubtedly be playing as I do so. Simple, no-frills power metal is not easy to pull off, but this song is a great example of Glyph nailing it.
And that simplicity holds true throughout the rest of Honor. Power. Glory.’s length, ending the day as one of the album’s strengths. So many power metal albums opt for excessive runtimes, but Glyph has wisely chosen to quickly rain fire from orbit for 36 minutes then warp the heck outta here, leaving me wanting more. Simple numbers like the opening title track, “When the World Was Young,” “Glorious,” and “Eldenfire” drop their infectious payloads and let their earworm choruses deal damage over time, while quick-hitters like “Defy the Night” and “A Storm of Crimson Fire” deal maximum DPS like a space barbarian dual-wielding laser flails. But no matter the speed, each and every track here accomplishes its aim and not a one overstays its welcome.
Honor. Power. Glory. is so effective that I have very little to complain about. A couple of times the songs feel a little too faithful to their influences, like the spoken word narration on “March of the Northern Clan” or the wild key solo on “A Storm of Crimson Fire”—both of which sound like they came straight off of a Gloryhammer record. But this is a minor nitpick, and Glyph’s songcraft and style stand on their own the vast majority of the time. It was a fun experience to get to cover some of these tracks as part of the band’s demo and then get to hear them fully fleshed out here on the album with a beefier production. The individual performances reveal the depth of the members’ experience, and it all comes together to form a remarkably cohesive debut record. And I don’t think I’m the only one who has been dazzled by Glyph’s talent as the band is currently on tour with Alestorm and Elvenking despite their unsigned status.
Honor. Power Glory. may not bring an ounce of innovation to the table here, but it is a satisfying meal nonetheless. Glyph unites a team of talented musicians, and the result is a concise, well-executed call to arms that’s been routinely buffing my stats to handle all of life’s challenges.
Rating: Very Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self Release
Websites: glyphmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/glyphmetal | glyphmetal.com
Releases Worldwide: March 29th, 2024
