FLAME, DEAR FLAME - Aegis, DigiCD

On their debut album "Aegis", FLAME, DEAR FLAME have erected a truly distinct sound, characterized by the stirring performance of vocalist Maren Lemke, whose simultaneously airy yet powerful voice fuses with the memorable riff craft on display to create 7 towering tracks that are sure to capture the ears of listeners eager to hear an innovative take on a genre that too often conforms to stereotypes.

"Aegis" is a work thematically divided into two parts. The first part, entitled "The Millennial Heartbeat", details the genesis of the ocean and the thanatography of the land, a testimony of the forces of nature and its frailty alike, performed in three movements and featuring a classical epic doom approach, rife with gargantuan riffs and percussion as well as soaring clean vocals, yet interspersed with thoughtfully placed and paced clean sections. Serving as a contrasting and complementary second part of the album, "The Wolves and the Prioress" consists of four movements focusing more on acoustic folk elements, further enriching FLAME, DEAR FLAME's engrossing sound, and details the story of a feral child that falls into the custody of a sage prioress.

All of these elements result in a unique combination of righteous doom and subtle, yet noble acoustic folk. Each track is accompanied by a visual representation composed by Karmazid. The culmination of the album’s visuals is its stark cover artwork, laden with elegant symbolism in rich detail, created by Kodex Barbaricus.