Nord, Kate: Compass To Your Heart’s Desire

A Finnish singer living in Italy, Kate Nord has served as lyricist with power metallers Noveria for a decade or so but aside from a one-off single a few years ago this is her debut release as a musician in her own right. A classically trained soprano, this comes through immediately on the first two tracks, which are heavy on the symphonic and low on the metal. “The North Wind And The Troll� is a more up-tempo track where the guitar riffs finally cut through, and we also get a bit of a folk-metal feel a’la Finntroll or Korpiklaani, perhaps unsurprisingly given that fantasy and fairy tales permeate the lyrics here. Elsewhere a standout is the dramatic “Wither And Rust�, which definitely has the most memorable chorus on the album, as well as featuring a typically acrobatic guitar solo from ex-Stratovarius mainman Timo Tolkki.

Overall this is a short album (33 minutes) and a couple of the tracks are rather forgettable, plus Kate’s voice is perhaps not as strong when singing in a more standard mid-range than when in full flight, but overall this is a promising debut and an artist to keep an eye on if female-fronted symphonic metal is your thing.

Tracklist:
01. Recitative To The Moon
02. All Alone
03. The North Wind And The Troll
04. Embrace The Cold
05. Wither And Rust
06. Dream Of Daylight
07. Breathe In The Night
08. Dance Of The Fairies
09. Aeternam Vale

Added: February 18th 2023
Reviewer: Tom De Val
Score:
Related Link: Artist Facebook Page
Hits: 502
Language: english

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