With band and album names like these it shouldn't come as any surprise that Sword and Sorcery from Serbia's Numenor is a Symphonic Metal album with fantasy-based lyrics. Apparently this band used to be straight Black Metal but their style is now essentially Italian Power Metal with a mix of Black and clean singing. The vocals are an effective technique the band uses to distinguish different characters and moods and the Black vocals are pretty non-offensive, so Power Metal fans needn't be scared off. There are plenty of majestic melodies supporting acrobatic guitar work and, of course, big choruses. Sword and Sorcery sounds great but I couldn't help thinking, every time it was on, that I was listening to a Rhapsody album with some Black vocals. I guess what I'm trying to say is there isn't anything on this album any fan of Power Metal hasn't heard many times before, so while Sword and Sorcery is a fun listen, it isn't an essential release.
