Artist: Moonlight Sword
Country: USA
Label: Oakheart Production
Formats: Demo Tape
Year: 2023
In 2022 the one-woman band Moonlight Sword released two fine digital demos, that both also appeared on cassette tape by the Belgian Rabauw label. Carmilla II Dracul, the woman behind the band, took her time to forge yet another demo tape which appeared a few months ago and since Rabauw seems to be on an indefinite hiatus, this time the demo was published through Oakheart Production.
Just like the two previously released demos, Moonlight Sword’s third demo is to be found at that twilight zone between Dungeon Synth and Black Metal, together making ‘Imperial Dragoon Kommando’ both a raw and atmospheric affair. The keyboards, piano and medieval/adventurous samples form the basis of the sound of the band, but while the guitars and the frosty screams of Carmilla II Dracul, it fits perfectly into the current day Black Metal scene. A scene that seems to be teeming with a new generation of young musicians that are intrigued with the Dungeon Synth genre, something that was almost unthinkable only about a decade ago.
Basically building on the cornerstones that bands like Summoning and Vinterriket left, over twenty years ago, that new generation for sure is capable of injecting new blood into the Black Metal genre. Moonlight Sword is just another fine example of such a band, yet not only for fusing both genres, but surely also for her great sense of atmosphere and, last but not least, her musicianship. Every now and then she treats us on some great solos and leads that lifts Moonlight Sword above many of its contemporaries.
Which does not mean there is still a little tweaking to do. The four tracks, together clocking just under 26 minutes, do lack a little coherence which makes the demo feel more like a collection of ideas rather than a consistent musical product. Especially the last track, ‘Old Dragons Of Caitha Still Soar The Boundless Sky’ feels a bit like a misfit, mainly due to the a bit too artificial leading keyboard melody. Perhaps that is a bit of a personal thing, but I kept having trouble of getting used to it.
