Out of all the epic heavy metal bands that rose to prominence in the last few years, Chicago’s Fer de Lance might just be the one with the broadest stylistic palette. There is a cinematic quality to their music beyond the theatricality of their peers, while relatively pronounced folky leanings and subtle touches of more extreme metal go a long way in giving Fer de Lance their own identity in a genre with fairly rigid parameters. Their sophomore album ‘Fires on the Mountainside’ streamlines their sound ever so slightly, without sacrificing anything that makes them the unique band that they are.

If there is one thing that has always fascinated me about Fer de Lance, it would be that they are just as obviously inspired by ‘Twilight of the Gods’-era Bathory as many of their peers, and yet, they sound the least like Bathory, despite having arguably the most prominent black metal influences of this wave of epic heavy metal bands. What might help is the characteristic voice of MP Papai. He has a higher mid-range that would work really well in a relatively aggressive power metal band, but works equally well within the grander, more majestic musical landscape of Fer de Lance.

Some outlets characterize Fer de Lance as an epic doom metal band, but I hesitate to do so. While their music is never particularly fast – the arrangements need space to create a majestic atmosphere, after all – the music on ‘Fires on the Mountainside’ trots along at slightly too quick a mid-pace to truly warrant the doom metal tag. The occasional sudden shift in dynamics is atypical for the style as well. Having said that, a song like ‘The Feast of Echoes’ is very likely to appeal to doom metal fans. Just realize that Fer de Lance is more than just that.

‘Fires on the Mountainside’ kicks off with its thirteen-minute title track, which does a great job at summing up the album in one song. There are long folky sections carried by great melodies, grand-sounding mid-tempo heavy metal, and even a short black metal outburst after its middle section. Truly one of the album’s highlights. Other highlights include the folk noir-tinged ‘Fire & Gold’, the surprisingly aggressive, almost thrashy ‘Ravens Fly (Dreams of Daidalos)’, and the cinematic closer ‘Tempest Stele’, which sounds like it has been inspired by a trip to the Mediterranean, specifically the easternmost part of the region.

Those who want music to take them on an adventure would do well to check out ‘Fires on the Mountainside’. In a way, one could argue that the album is slightly less adventurous than its 2022 predecessor ‘The Hyperborean’, but I personally think the fact that the style shifts have been smoothed over a bit benefits the album greatly. Fer de Lance is one of the few epic heavy metal bands that seems intent on taking the genre to new territories where others are content to keep drawing on inspiration from the past. That alone is worthy of respect.

Recommended tracks: ‘Fire & Gold’, ‘Ravens Fly (Dreams of Daidalos)’, ‘Fires on the Mountainside’