Review DAEDRIC SHRYNE “Daedric Shryne” – EP

Daedric Shryne was founded in the year 2020 and hails from Hamburg, Germany. Although the band is new, the musicians involved are experienced metal maniacs. Frontman Al Shirazi, for example, provides the heartbeat of Majak as the band’s drummer. André Büchner is known from his time with Deathbearer, while Nils Groth is part of Heretoir and played with bands like Ophis.

The trio got together a few years ago and it took a while before the first countable release was ready to be shipped to the record stores. “Dominion” was the lead single that announced the upcoming EP, which followed at the end of November last year.

Daedric Shryne plays metal and they give their sound an epic metal feel. “Aether” is the intro that provides an atmospheric start to the album before a traditional metal riff takes over and leads the listener to the pounding “Birth”. The latter is a rather short track that doesn’t reach the two-minute mark. However, it is a tone setter for what is to come.

The Hanseatic trio shifts gears with “Awakening”, the first highlight of the album. Equipped with blazing speed and high-pitched screams, the song exhales the power of heavy metal with every note played. A well-placed tempo break in the last third gives the song an extra dynamic before the previously mentioned “Dominion” takes over the metal baton. It is a typical metal anthem reminding of bands like Visigoth and the early Fates Warning.

The real wrecking ball is the majestic “Downfall”, as the song reflects all the trademarks of the band. Blistering guitars, a stomping metal beat and excellent vocals make this song a headbanger’s delight. After such a sonic blast, the EP ends with the outro “Reflection”.

Daedric Shryne is a band name to keep an eye on, as we can hopefully expect a few more releases from this trio. The first EP, which is now also available on vinyl, is a great start. The spirit of metal resonates in each of these songs, which puts some extra demands on the band to work on a full-length debut. So far we can safely conclude that this EP is an excellent release, with “Downfall” being one of the true metal anthems.