Rock Music Critic

	Summoning
	Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame

	I have some earlier Summoning floating around somewhere that I got from my sister, but I haven't listened to it in awhile, so this will almost be like hearing a new band. This is my impression as of the second track: I like the music a lot. It is really cool music. Very orchestral kind of stuff, more so than metal. I can hear a crunchy guitar in the back somewhere, but this sounds like music you would hear in the king's court. So this much I know. I like the music a great deal. The vocals however leave a little bit to be desired. It isn't that the vocals are typical black metal fare ala Satyr from Satyricon. That's ok with me. It comes down to my own little pet peeve of vocal burying. I think this would sound a lot better if the vocals sat higher in the mix. Would give the songs a lot more power I think. I have heard worse burying than this, and it's not so bad as to keep me from liking the songs, but I'm hoping it improves further into the disc. This music really deserves a stronger vocal track. Combine Bloodbath vocals with Summoning music and I think you would really have something. And there is way too much reverb on the vocals too. Sounds like the instrumentalists are playing at the mouth of a cave and the singer is hiding at the back of the cave. The songs on this disc are mostly pretty lengthy. Only two tracks clock in at less than six minutes, and the longest is over nine minutes. It is becoming apparent that Summoning likes to take their time and plod along. Is this classified as doom metal or what? Maybe it is. The songs are all medium to slow tempo with occasional bursts of energy. This is not in itself a bad thing, but do not buy this CD expecting anything speedy. This music is rather hypnotic; it's almost putting me to sleep. Must. stay. awake! In the end this seems to be a fairly average CD for this style. The above average music combined with the less than average vocals cancels out to leave us with an average CD. Nothing truly spectacular about it, but it's not particularly bad either. If they work on those vocals they could really have something.
TRACKLIST: A New Power is Rising South Away In the Hollow Halls Beneath the Fells Our Foes Shall Fall The Mountain King's Return Runes of Power Ashen Cold Farewells