Serpentyne – Tales From The Dark
Release Date: 14th February 2025
Label: Rockshots Records
Order/Stream
Genre: Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Power Metal, Gothic Metal.
FFO: The Dark Side of the Moon, Temperance, Alquimia, Tarja, Leaves Eyes, Imperial Age.
Review By: Mark Waight
Now members of the Rockshots Records family, Serpentyne are back after nearly six years with an energised follow-up to their well received 2019 album, Angels of the Night. Blurring the lines between Symphonic, folk and power metal, UK band Serpentyne return with their third album Tales from the Dark which should help cement their place in the group of bands leading the resurgence of this genre.
Serpentyne are just about to embark on a tour in February/March 2025 supporting legends of symphonic metal Tarja Turunen and Marko Hietala on their “Living the Dream Together” tour of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Serpentyne is Maggiebeth Sand (vocals), Lee Wilmer (guitar), Nigel Middleton (bass, vocals), John Haithwaite (keyboards) and Marco Biagini (drums).
Firing on all cylinders right from the off, opening track Prophetess of Dreams combines a very heavy riff with an eastern flavour and some superb choral vocals. Slow and pulsating song Into the Night takes us down a much darker road with a burning intensity that builds and builds to a fabulous vocal finish.
Dangerous Mind has a retro feel to it which reminded me of that great gothic sound from those days of the very dark 80s where keyboards were fused with edgy guitar riffs, absolutely love it! The haunting Ghost of Times Past lifts the very spirits of the crypt with its much quicker pace, making an interesting twist on others of this ilk.
You had better Run for Your Life with a pack of ferocious wolves in pursuit as the pace hots up even further in this howling tale of fear before we find ourselves fighting that age-old foe of the Evil from Within in the beautifully bleakest track of them all.
Terrifying track Dreamer is the stuff of nightmares as the horror theme comes to the fore once more in waves of black and all manner of grey. Contacting those who have passed over, Séance summons up the demons and disciples of the dark with it gloriously gloomy undertones and wailing vocals. Lovely!
Beating out a steady path, the March of Death is sure to raise the dead with its macabre call to arms before the final track takes us to the Promised Land which rounds the album off in epic Serpentyne style. Great finish!
Tales from the Dark is exactly that, it is a cinematic and engaging storytelling experience that plays on the stuff of nightmares and the scariest of fairytales by gripping you with both joy and fear along the way. Each track on Tales from the Dark offers something a little different and allows Serpentyne to more than showcase their rich repertoire with some excellent and tight band performances. Worth checking out!
(3.5 / 5)
