I could sit here all day and fawn over everything Tolkien and how amazing it is to see his material live on fiercely in the world of metal in so many different forms. Black metal, though, undoubtedly has to be the style that has taken the vast mythos with the widest of arms for the list of awesome bands with exemplary releases pertaining to the massive amount of lore seemingly to grow larger by the week. Since their debut, Keys of Orthanc has been a name to know with all things Tolkien for metal, and it’s with their latest effort that they continue that trend of excellence while delivering what could be their most fiery record yet.

Apart from the chills that proper Tolkien efforts in metal give me on a regular basis, the black metal that is at work here cannot be considered any less than exemplary in every form as Keys of Orthanc needed to prove nothing to anyone as every release of their’s has been magnificent virtually right from the get-go with even a dungeon synth album under their belt, and it’s all come to a current head with everything that “Of the Lineage of Kings” offers us. Should you even barely know the overall story of The Lord of the Rings, that cover art should give you all the knowledge you need to know about what time Keys of Orthanc is drawing from out of the mythos, and it’s with a particularly vicious brand of black metal that might very well be the most caustic that they’ve performed to date that they’ve taken up the final two major battles against the forces of the Enemy with an efficiency that is no less than eviscerating and power that is all but all-consuming in virtually every form. They’re also diligent enough to make this a wondrously eclectic record as well. The implementation of clean vocals, compelling word-for-word recreation of speeches that many a Tolkien fan should be extremely familiar with, and an utterly devastating approach to their particular brand of black metal instantly makes “Of the Lineage of Kings” a voracious album that is not only another tremendous effort to the world of Tolkien black metal, but a testament to the growing glory that is the discography that Keys of Orthanc boasts.

There’s so much to unpack in this album that I cannot help but recommend this eviscerating listen to anyone that enjoys anything about either world that this world inhabits whether it be Tolkien or black metal, but it’s a particularly rewarding listen for fans of both. Very few works of this kind are able to be produced with this level of ferocity and excellence mixed into every second, and if that doesn’t signal “Of the Lineage of Kings” as a glorious work then I don’t know what is.

LISTEN to “Of the Lineage of Kings” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Keys of Orthanc on Facebook here.