(Epic Heavy Power Metal) Nemedian Chronicles - Discography (3 releases) (2020-2024), MP3, 320 kbps

01 - Born On A Battlefield (06:04)
02 - The Thing In The Crypt (04:48)
03 - Monsterslayer (06:03)
04 - The Song Of Red Sonja (08:35)

01 - Death Dealer (05:53)

01 - Nemedian Chronicles (02:41)
02 - Born On A Battlefield (05:53)
03 - Venarium (05:40)
04 - The Thing In The Crypt (04:49)
05 - Tower Of The Elephant (09:18)
06 - Tigress Of The Black Coast (04:59)
07 - The Savage Sword (05:36)
08 - Monsterslayer (06:06)
09 - Black Lotus - The Curse Of Thog (06:41)
10 - Stygian Sons Of Set (04:40)
11 - The Song Of Red Sonja (08:53)
12 - Road Of The Kings (06:07)

Power/Epic Metal band from the south of France with lyrics based on Robert Howard's Hyborian Age
Nemedian Chronicles play a brand of power metal in the vein of Hammerfall and Blind Guardian, with a bit of the barbarian stomp of Manowar and the epic sweep of Atlantean Codex. The band is organized in a classic Maiden twin-axe attack formation, supported by a gorgeously arranged orchestral backdrop. Alexandre Duffau puts on a vocal masterclass, with a reedy low register that transitions into powerful full-throated highs, especially when paired with another vocalist (“Born on a Battlefield,” “The Song of Red Sonja”). The rest of the band rarely misses a step in their performances, and their prowess is on full display in album highlight “Black Lotus/The Curse of Thog,” which takes me back to “Egypt” and “The Death of Balance/Lacrymosa” from Symphony X’s V; one of the highest bars in epic power metal as far as this writer is concerned.
Good performances are only one half of a successful concept album, and luckily for Nemedian Chronicles their strongest asset is their ability to sonically immerse the listener in their world. Opener “Nemedian Chronicles” nails the requisite concept album introduction with thunderous tribal drums and orchestrals bolstering a scene-setting monologue; I’m reminded of the beginning of Aeternam’s Heir of the Rising Sun, but even more cinematic in scope. A treasure horde of music follows, from anthemic choruses (“Born on the Battlefield,” “The Thing in the Crypt,” “The Song of Red Sonja”) to triple-time sea shanties (“Tigress of the Black Coast”) to an abyssal of terror in “Black Lotus/The Curse of Thog.” Credit to bassist Guillaume Lefebvre here with not only his stringed duties, but also writing all the music and lyrics, the latter of which frequently directly describe Conan’s exploits. Fans of the source material will find a lot to love here, and anyone who likes to follow clear stories in their music will experience the same.
For all the accolades I lay upon The Savage Sword, I see areas of improvement for the Frenchmen. The biggest, and perhaps most obvious one, pertains to bloat. Nemedian Chronicles’ issue isn’t so much the quality of material that needs to be jettisoned, but the repetition of it (“Monsterslayer,” “The Song of Red Sonja”). Another issue—and your mileage may vary here—is the setting of the lyrics. Alexandre Duffau is clearly an accomplished vocalist, but the sheer amount of words that need to be delivered often seems to overpower the rest of the music for the benefit of the plot; the 9-minute “Tower of the Elephant” is especially at fault here. There’s also a peculiar tendency for the band to suddenly shift the tempo or meter from verse to chorus, which makes some tracks a bumpier listen than I’d prefer (“Tower of the Elephant,” “Tigress of the Black Coast,” “Stygian Sons of Set”).
These most nit of picks aside, Nemedian Chronicles hit all the right notes for me when it comes to memorable power metal. When the closing tribal drums of “The Road of Kings” bring the album full circle, I’m left much more inspired than drained. Listening to this record led me to research the world Robert E. Howard built, which enriched subsequent spins. This is a mightily strong debut from a skilled outfit, and with some tightening in the lyrical and editing departments, Nemedian Chronicles could easily lay siege to our much-vaunted safety counter. I heartily recommend The Savage Sword for fans of the comics or power metal in general; keep an eye on these guys.

Current
David Royer Guitars (lead)
Guillaume Lefebvre Guitars (rhythm) (?-2021), Bass (2021-present)
Joris Blanchard Keyboards
Alexandre Duffau Vocals (lead)
Thomas Tesseidre Guitars (rhythm) (2021-present)
Guillaume Rodriguez Drums (2022-present)
Past
Florian Joly Bass (?-2021)
Thibault Faijan Drums
Boris Jean Fulcran Drums