Unbowed – Colour the Soul
Release Date: 20th May 2022
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Black Metal.
FFO: Behemoth, Amorphis, Einherjer, Amon Amarth.
Review By: Paul Cairney
Unbowed return with their 3rd album, Colour the Soul, and I say this like I know the band and their previous works. Truth be told, I didn’t. I had never heard of this Canadian band, despite their being active since 2011. Perhaps the biggest issue is that they are still self-releasing their material, and truth be told I don’t really understand why.
Over my decade of reviewing albums, I have heard many albums that cannot lick the hairy under-bollocks of Colour the Soul. This is an album that, whilst in no means perfect, refuses to disappoint you. As you listen to each of single minute of this 10-track album, you wonder why inferior bands get major label interest.
Perhaps, we wonder, if it is how they describe themselves. Unbowed sit in the melodic death/black metal genre according to their bio. I can see this, 2nd track Eigi Einhamr is a riff-laden track dominated by background synths and the follow-up track Fire of Wode has riffage that sits alongside more synths. Unfortunately, the end result for both is slightly messy.
But….
Somehow it all works. Unbowed have created an album that will vex you, impress you, piss you off and leave you with a sense of wellbeing. Stream of Life and Death is the 4th track on the album and is the first one where the band hit a sound that is big… I am refraining from utilising capital letters to over emphasise big, as you need to make up your own mind. My mind tells you it is an immense track.
Throughout the album, you sit and wonder why these guys are self-releasing. So, you check out their earlier stuff and find that you like that as well, albeit I haven’t listened to their debut…. yet, but 2017’s Through Endless Tides is a cracking listen.
Too often, and I utterly include myself it this assertion, metalheads are more than happy to sit inside the happy bubble where we have supremely dedicated labels releasing album after album of top-quality music. Sometimes, if we take a chance, it is possible to discover albums by bands that just haven’t had the little bit of luck that it takes to be picked up.
Colour the Soul by Unbowed is one of these albums. Do yourself a favour, seek it out, buy it and enjoy it. You will be surprised how good independent music can be. 
(3.5 / 5)
