Symphonic metal elementals SHIELD OF WINGS are fusing their choral and metal sensibilities in their new metal rendition of “The Final Battle” from the Elden Ring OST. The primal force behind the song is the perfect setting for their driven, epic symphonic metal twist. Powerhouse vocalist Lara Mordian is joined by her colleagues Aliyah Daye and Alex Luke to form a rich, dynamic vocal triad for the pseudo-latin choral parts, emitting emotion that peaks with Mordian’s crystal clarity at the climax of the song.
“This past spring, I spent a lot of time playing ‘Elden Ring’.” Bassist Alex Luke relates. “From the beginning I was drawn in by the game’s orchestral score – much of the music is sparse, dissonant, angular, and melancholic, which perfectly embodies the oppressive and pessimistic mood of the entire game. Examples of this sparse style are the tracks ‘Stormveil Castle’ and ‘Limgrave’ from the Elden Ring OST. Of course there are moments of epic grandeur too, which mostly occur during boss battles.
Since I was so steeped in the ‘Lands Between’ of Elden Ring, I started listening to the score with an ear towards arranging one of the tracks for the band. ‘The Final Battle,’ composed by Tsukasa Saitoh, ended up being the perfect fit for us to cover. It’s epic and energetic, and may be more recognizable to listeners since a version of it is also used on the title screen of the game. It also features a choir, which provided a good opportunity for us to sing some 3- and 5-part vocal harmonies.
I hope you enjoy our rendition of this song!”
Watch “The Final Battle”: https://youtu.be/E4aSp03_Eq0
SHIELD OF WINGS is a Chicago-based symphonic metal band with an elemental folk twist. The band’s debut album Unfinished has continued to receive sanguine international attention as they make their live circuit through the summer, sharing stages with bands like METAL CHURCH, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, MOONSPELL, and ELEINE. Their “Final Battle” this season will be wrapping up with their appearance at Madison, Wisconsin’s power metal festival, Mad With Power, August 18th at The Sylvee.
SOCIAL & STREAMING LINKS
Bandcamp
https://shieldofwings.bandcamp.com/
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3tsSh5pNoZ9pxGa4feJHIm?si=Fs80jFmmRvO4qqwK44Owsg
Instagram
https://instagram.com/shieldofwings