Review SERVANTS TO THE TIDE “Where Time Comes To Die”

It was 2018 when Servants To The Tide was founded, and it was their self-titled debut album that hit the scene in 2021. Three years after the release of the first longplayer, the German five-piece follows up with their second release.

Just like the debut, the second release will also be released by No Remorse Records, a label with a great sense for the heavy metal genre. Servants To The Tide and their version of epic doom metal fit into this scheme. Atlantean Kodex and While Heaven Wept are certainly sources of inspiration for the five Germans, who open their latest release with a song called “With Starlight We Ride”. In the realms of doom, the opener is a rather lively and dynamic start. The song shows a band that has a pounding metal heart, resulting in a well-forged start to the album. With the ohohoh sing-along part, the track also has a great feature for live shows, and in general, “With Starlight We Ride” is a solid first track, followed by the eight-minute “Sunrise in Eden”.

Equipped with a doom-laden vibe and a slower pace, the song reveals the band’s roots. Singer Stephan Wehrbein is stronger though when he sings with full intensity, while the softer vocals at the beginning of the song aren’t the best you can expect. The moment he adds some extra strength to his singing, the song develops into a dramatic one. The similar pattern appears with “White Wanderer”, a song shrouded in darkness.

The longest track on the album is called “If the Stars Should Appear”. The entire spectrum of epic metal is represented in this song. From the piano-based opening to the heavier metal eruptions along the way, the song is not only the longest on the album, but also the most intensive one.

With all the good things coming with this album, there are also some things that don’t want to reveal the intended greatness. There are some good ideas embedded in each of the songs and at the same time it feels like the guys are getting ahead of themselves. There are moments where especially parts of the longer tracks sound scattered. The band strings together some good ideas that don’t necessarily lead to a great total.

“Where Time Will Come To Die” is an album with light and shadow. There are songs like the resonant opener that shine brightly and even the quieter “Towards zero” has some good moments. At the same time the scattered aspect makes it sometimes a bit more difficult to stay focused from beginning to end during the longer tracks. Having said that, “Where Time Will Come To Die” is still an interesting album from a talented band that has the potential to be further unveiled.

Tracklist:

With Starlight We Ride
Sunrise In Eden
The Trial (CD only bonus track)
White Wanderer
If The Stars Should Appear
- Act I: Nothing But Cloudless Sky
- Act II: The Days of Ill-Winged Idols
- Act III: Marching To The End Of The World
Towards Zero
Where Time Will Come To Die