{"id":447585,"date":"2026-02-27T00:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T00:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/447585\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T00:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T00:34:12","slug":"templar-conquering-swords-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/447585\/","title":{"rendered":"Templar – Conquering Swords Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"There\u2019s a burgeoning old school 80s trve metal movement growing these days, with more and more young bands longing to sound really olde. Steel is there for that, as it speaks directly to his ancient bones. A good number of these retro sword-swinging acts seem to be coming out of Sweden of late. We covered Century\u2019s Sign of the Storm<\/a> last year, and here comes Templar with their Conquering Swords debut, which was produced by Century\u2019s Staffan Tengn\u00e9r. As a fan of conquest and swords (and that awesome van-worthy cover art), I\u2019m the target audience for this early 80s throwback insanity, which steals from cult acts like Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol, and Brocas Helm as well as NWoBHM heroes like Satan and Witchfinder General. All this is to be expected, but what I didn\u2019t see coming was the hefty Mercyful Fate influence that Templar throw around like a 50-pound sack of wet concrete. On paper, that should not work, but does it work in your tin ear? Let\u2019s take a peek.<\/p>\n

After a rousing, table-setting intro, you\u2019re launched into \u201cWitchking\u201d and greeted by classic 80s guitar lines with a burly trve vibe sure to get your lust for battle growing. When Isak Neffling starts singing, those familiar with the Mercyful Fate demos and the original EP will hear a notable similarity to an early-day King Diamond. I don\u2019t mean the high-pitched falsettos, but the ominous baritones he used regularly before he became a faux-evil cartoon character. One could also say Isak also reminds of The Night Eternal\u2019s Ricardo Baum, who borrowed a lot from Mr. Diamond vocally himself. Either way, it makes for an interesting listen as Isak sings of Tolkien baddies, swords, and sorcery. \u201cExcalibur\u201d is all beef and chest-pounding bravado with a galloping pace, scrotal power to spare, and a chorus that feels just epic enough. It hits all the nostalgia bells and feels ancient as fook, but it can still beat your ass like a back-alley thug.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, \u201cExiled in Fire\u201d is fast, fist-pumping classic metal with sweet guitar work and a rowdy, rough edge that takes me back to the dirty, unpolished NWoBHM days. \u201cShipwreck\u201d is another riffy good time with a vague In Solitude vibe, and \u201cWhite Wolf\u201d is about as epic 80s metal as it gets without lapsing into Spinal Tap levels of parody. At a tight 40 minutes and with all songs contained in the 4-5 minute window, there\u2019s not much fluff or blubber on the compositions. The only drawback is that the writing routinely sits in that \u201cgood and almost very good\u201d pocket, never fully reaching that next level of badassery. It\u2019s an easy, entertaining spin, but it won\u2019t blow anyone\u2019s mind or make many end-of-year lists. The production is painstakingly designed to sound rough and vintage, and it does hit that 1980-1982 aura with a warmth and texture that modern recordings often lack.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Gustav Harrysson and Teddy Edoff bring the sounds of proto and epic 80s metal to the Great Hall, cleaving closely to the NWoBHM blueprint but always injecting that grand and glorious edge to their playing. I hear many hints of early Mercyful Fate and Satan in their choices, and the Manilla Road-isms are there too. I don\u2019t know if Isak Neffling was trying to channel King Diamond, but he certainly does, and that adds to the nostalgic appeal. Listen to \u201cWhite Wolf,\u201d and you hear the earliest days of Mercyful Fate, and that\u2019s undeniably cool. His vocals don\u2019t always work, though, and things get especially weird and awkward on \u201cThe Sorceress.\u201d In toto, Isak gives Templar an X factor the band wouldn\u2019t have otherwise, and that certainly works in their favor despite a few misfires.<\/p>\n

Conquering Swords is an interesting and engaging debut from a band that have the potential to be much more. There are moments scattered across the album that hint at greatness, and maybe with more time and effort, those parts lead someplace special. As things stand, Templar are a good throwback band with one foot in the past and the other looking for the next place to stomp. Where they go from here will prove interesting. Worth checking out for the love of Diamond and rust(ed swords).<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/p>\n

Rating: 3.0\/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Jawbreaker<\/a>
Websites: facebook.com\/templarsweden<\/a> | instagram.com\/templar.band<\/a>
Releases Worldwide: February 27th, 2026<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n