Originally formed back in 2010 as an all-star Bathory tribute, Twilight Of The Gods (named after a Bathory album, natch) have now morphed into a fully-fledged entity in their own right. Featuring the combined skill and pedigree of Alan Averill (Primordial), Nick Barker (ex-Cradle of Filth, ex-Dimmu Borgir), Rune Eriksen (Aura Noir, ex-Mayhem), Patrik Lindgren (Thyrfing) and Frode Glesnes (Einherjer), this was never destined to be a half-baked affair, and indeed it’s not.
Inspired by the epic rock and metal of the band’s collective youth – Rainbow, Dio, Manowar and many others – Fire On The Mountain is an epic trip through titanic riffs, thunderous rhythms and legendary heroics of yesteryear. That each of the performers has had to find a new voice – Nick in particular and Alan quite literally – makes it a fascinating experiment.
From trundling opener Destiny Forged In Blood through to the expansive, mid-paced epic of Sword Of The Damocles, where Alan sings ‘We are the sons/Of the hammer’ with steely, rousing conviction, to the banner-hoisting climax of At Dawn We Ride, it’s a fist-pumping feast from five guys who – incredibly when you think about it – have never actually played straight heavy metal before.
