Ten years is a hell of a long time. Sure, relatively speaking it isn’t that much time, but for those that are counting the years, the months, and the days, ten years may as well be an eternity. Especially, when there’s no clear end in sight. For many listeners throughout the vast network of the underground has metal has made for itself, such waits feel far too often. All too easily is it our favorite bands that seem to take ages whenever it comes to crafting new material for one reason or another. As such, the query of quality versus quantity naturally comes up. Sometimes, the hype overcomes the wait while it can absolutely be said that there are those that overcome the daunting prospect of returning after a decade gap in new material.
When Whispered put out their previous album, “Metsutan – Songs of the Void”, in 2016, I don’t think any of us would have dared thought for a minute that it would take ten years for the Finnish phenomenon to return to us. It had only been two years between “Metsutan” and its predecessor, “Shogunate Macabre”, so one could have only thought it wouldn’t take that long for a new album, right? Yet, life happens. Things get in the way. Ideas evolve. The constant suffering of an artist striving to perfect their creation. All of that and more have a huge part to play in a band seemingly taking their sweet time to return to their fans in such a way that can satisfy both parties.
Given how well-received “Metsutan” was and still is in many circles, I think it would be an understatement to say that Whispered’s return is something that has become the topic of many debates. On top of it all, even after everything Whispered has proven to be effective, there just isn’t another band that can stand toe-to-toe with what these guys have to offer. Their focus of Japanese folklore in theme, execution, and style is something that can be seen as another cute gimmick, yet it’s over the years they’ve demonstrated themselves as the epitome of magnificence in aural form. But the question has long lingered over the last ten years: when Whispered did return, would they be able to deliver an entire decade of anticipation?
“Honorbound” strips away any doubt and leaves you basking in the sun of a glorious victory.
Anything and everything that Whispered did when crafting this record has allowed the work to become something truly exceptional and more than worthy of being the latest in a discography of otherworldly excellence. High craftsmanship has always been at the core of what Whispered brings to the table with the eight tracks of “Honorbound” more than delivering on that concept to the furthest degree. Their brand of samurai metal has never felt stronger as each minute of the record has so much character that one cannot help but become intimately invested in every dramatic moment that’s to be found across the absolute entirety of “Honorbound”. From its addictive riffs to overwhelming orchestras and engrossing atmospheres, it’s obvious that Whispered has not lost one whiff of their immense power. The heart cannot help but become swept away by the magnitude, beauty, and intensity that Whispered masterfully puts forth here.
Whispered has well and truly put forth another career-defining effort here. In the anthems of bangers like “Ikikaere” to the gorgeous atmospheres of works like “Gods of Rain” and “Shadowbane” to the title track boasting the statistic of being Whispered’s longest creation to date, we’re given the full tour of the arsenal that Whispered wields with deadly precision. Never have their swords been sharper nor their vision clearer.
“Honorbound” is the culmination of a decade’s worth of toil and artistry the likes of which fans have been eagerly anticipating for what always felt like far too long. Yet, I don’t think anyone could dare utter a complaint for everything summoned throughout this transformative work.
Whispered is back! Their strength renewed and glory seized with both hands, no one can stop the return of the truest warriors of Finnish samurai metal!
LISTEN to “Honorbound” on Bandcamp here.
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