Inferno records – I love it when we get a parcel with that logo on it. Even the phrasing “in metal we trust – in hell we’ll burn” inspires confidence in the artists that reside upon the label’s roster, and so it transpires with Rampart who arrive with the slogan “we are bound with metal spell, we shall defend it to the end, we are charged with metal strength, we shall follow our fate!” and proceed to defend such a claim with eight (ten if you count the ambient prologue and epilogue) tracks of blistering, old-school heavy metal, arranged into a Nietzschean opera detailing a mighty clash between two opposing armies complete with conceptual lyrics, a libretto published in the booklet (essential if you want to get the most out of the story) and fantastic artwork.
Hailing from Bulgaria, Rampart’s secret weapon is Maria D whose vocals dominate the recording. Coming over like a cross between Rob Halford and Countess Bathory, she has a voice that perfectly complements the blood and thunder metal delivered by her cohorts Vili (guitars), Svilen (bass) and Petar (drums) who take their inspiration from Helloween, Manowar and Iron maiden to lay down a rock solid foundation of pure metal that will leave fans of the old school giddy with excitement.
Opening with the briefest of cinematic prologues, the album kicks into gear on ‘Army of the perfect’. From the off it is clear that this is a record that needs to be played LOUD. Earth shatteringly, neighbour botheringly loud, and as the guitar builds to a riff hewn from pure steel, the drums rouse themselves to forge a battering ram and the bass provides the rhythmic backdrop, you’re just waiting for the vocals to be unleashed to make the sound complete. This is the music of war, the sound of blood, sweat and determination, and the band capture the passion, energy and adrenalin flow perfectly with their refined, razor-sharp riffs more than a match for their stated heroes. Maria (the only member of the original Rampart), meanwhile, possesses a powerful and largely unique voice that takes a moment to become accustomed to, but once it clicks the whole thing makes perfect, beautiful sense and you’re lost in the band’s world of swords, honour and valour. The tale continues with ‘Ghost of freedom’, a rampaging blast that mixes up Petar’s fast-paced and perfectly played rhythmic assault with scythe-like guitars and Maria’s remarkable vocals.
The pace slackens somewhat for the power ballad ‘within the silence’ which recalls the might of early Queensryche, especially when Vili bursts forth with an elegant solo on the bridge before tearing into an almighty riff which sends the second half of the track into a whole new, darker direction. The clouds having gathered, ‘Road to the unknown’ proves to be a slow-building beast with a sweet mid-tempo riff leading the way – Vili’s guitars burning a path through the unfamiliar landscapes the band are traversing whilst Maria’s voice guides you ever forward detailing the Tolkenian surroundings as she goes. An altogether different beast is the folk-infused ‘Fire circle’ which drips with atmosphere and a sense of the band flexing their creative muscle to stay ahead of the competition. It still rocks, but the atmosphere is that of a band roaming the wilderness absorbing the atmosphere of nature and crafting something that speaks of time alone under star-filled skies.
The metal comes crashing back in with a vengeance on the heavy riffing of ‘up in arms’ which sees Maria punishing her vocal chords over a furious riff that is offset by the intelligent and unconventional bass lines of Svilen whose work helps to elevate the track to something truly special. ‘Storm force’ , meanwhile, is a full-on rampage through heavy metal’s finest blood-soaked pastures, Vili’s blistering solo only one part of the wonderful noise Rampart make, and the only disappointment is the knowledge the tale is reaching its conclusion. With a chunky bridge and searing riffs it is an air-guitarist’s dream and the band clearly love metal as much as they life itself as they give their all on this powerful soundtrack to Armageddon. ‘Give nothing back’ is, if anything, even more furious. As if the band have realised that time is running out and the story is at its climax, they unleash a vicious barrage of riffs over which Maria’s distinctive vocal rings out loud and clear, exhorting us all to “hoist the colours for attack!” It’s absurdly thrilling and a rousing finale to an epic and intelligently written tale that demonstrates the wonderful power of metal to conjure a brilliantly vivid world for fans to lose themselves within. ‘March on to victory’ provides the epilogue to the story, ending the album on a proudly defiant note and if your blood hasn’t been stirred by this point then clearly it would take nothing less than an actual sword-wielding titan to appear in front of you because this is furious, fist-pumping metal of the first order.
‘War Behest’ is a remarkable achievement on a number of levels. That only Maria remains from the original Rampart alone should be enough to justify a few nerves, and yet the band are supremely confident throughout. The rhythm section do not put a foot wrong (indeed, Svilen marks himself out as a bassist of some note) whilst Vili is a remarkable guitarist who is possessed of both talent and feel. It is Maria, of course, who dominates proceedings and her voice and brilliantly realised lyrics elevate ‘War behest’ to the realms of a truly spectacular classic metal album. If you dig the blood and thunder of true, old school metal then Rampart are the band for you.
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