Consider Primordial's raging style and Morgion's atmospheric
heaviness, and you will have two of the main ingredients that make up
Keen of the Crow's impressive debut full-length _Hyborea_. The quintet
includes drummer Rhett Davis and bassist Justin Christian, both
formerly of Morgion, but the balance here is tipped away from
Morgion's slow builds and more towards a warlike epic feel
akin to Primordial in their blackened mood. Then again, the fact that
this follow-up to their _Premonition_ MCD is based on the character of
Conan of Cimmmeria should provide solid indication of increased
aggression.In a nutshell, Keen of the Crow come up with a really potent, varied
and enjoyable mix on _Hyborea_: from blistering sequences driven with
some throat-searing rasps to atmospheric breaks and clean sung doom
passages (the adequacy of which varies somewhat). The album is not
without some weaker moments (e.g., "Seeking Fury, Becoming Wrath") or
somewhat derivative passages, but it also has a number of great
sequences. Overall it is a very enjoyable release that shows plenty of
potential and comes close to a higher rating. Goes nicely with the new
album by label-mates Mael Mórdha, too.
(Apparently both of the band's guitarists have since departed, with
the remaining three members -- or two, as it remains unclear which
side the vocalist stands on -- apparently willing to keep Keen of the
Crow alive, according to their MySpace page. On their main website,
the guitarists say the band is over and there will be no more Keen of
the Crow without them, as Seth Arthur was the main songwriter.)