The Treasure of Story in Sacred Outcry’s Towers Of Gold
Celebrating power metal band’s sophomore album on its second releasiversary
It comes down to quality storytelling, no matter the medium. But when it’s a power metal concept album, the stakes are high because the risk is losing listeners by sounding derivative.
Sacred Outcry is a far cry from that, and Towers Of Gold stands as an intelligent sonic adventure. Released on May 19, 2023, the album bears the hallmarks of power metal eras past along with some NWOBHM influence, yet the band pushes the boundaries of the present in their own way: a unique cohesion of meticulous skills with an emotional resonance that often escapes bands in this genre. The result is a serious and seriously fun take on the road trip motif, wrapped in a tale that explores the perils of what happens when ambition leads to greed or, worse, avarice. And the joy in the 55-minute experience is learning something new with each listen—a single line, about the whole suite, maybe even about yourself.
Sacred Outcry (left to right): Defkalion Dimos (drums), George Apalodimas (bass), Daniel Heiman (vocals), and Steve Lado (guitars).
Waves crashing, an inviting acoustic guitar, then thunder… “The Flame Rekindled” grips you by the ninth measure—it’s fast, total insanity—as the fantastical story from an old man sparks the group of hopeful men into action. Triplet-based “The Voyage” is the most commercially minded cut, its majestic tone matching the optimism of the band sailing the sea. “Into The Storm” presents the first real obstacle, the slower pace allowing for a different appreciation of the playing. It’s with “Symphony Of The Night” and the end of the boat ride to who knows where that the album moves beyond movie to cinema, chalk that up to organic shifts in tempo and dynamics. An interlude closes the opening half.
Things get trippier from there.
When the in-over-their-heads treasure seekers are plodding through the desert, “The Sweet Wine Of Betrayal” score is right in stride with them, lethargic yet with loads of propulsion. That carries them to “The City Of Stone” and the promise of what might be, but signs of beware intensify as the beats per minute pick up. The title track builds the suspense—anticipation of attaining the power or, well, getting what you deserve—during a progressive quarter of an hour replete with haunting choral work. The last of the shorter minstrel or orchestral pieces provides more perspective and doesn’t feel tacked on, but is that really the final perspective?
The performances by each musician are super proficient and ridiculously good. Cofounder George Apalodimas is the sole remaining original member, and his bass is the unifying factor in the music as well as the story. Defkalion Dimos, the metronome, and even at a hundred miles an hour, he finds breathability between the notes in double bass patterns or fills of any kind. Steve Lado’s guitars form not a tapestry to hang on the wall, but a quilt to wrap around you through all the twists and turns he can manage on six strings—rhythms, harmonies, solos, he crushes. Swedish vocalist Daniel Hieman, who possesses immense range and is the big name here, puts a stamp on everything with what many claim is a masterclass in singing. The sum of the parts is impossible to ignore.
Density is a primary attribute of the genre, but Sacred Outcry opts not to overwhelm the sheer thickness associated with the epic variety of power metal. Combined with clean production, it’s an easy and consequential exercise to peel the beautiful layers apart and reassemble them. From segue to segue and song to song, TOG has the strong connective tissue necessary for a cohesive concept album, and that vision is all Apalodimas. On top of the bass, he wrote and arranged and produced it and he designed the cover and artwork, too. We’re talking heart-on-sleeve passion for the 10 cuts. My favorite of the seven main tracks constantly changes.
Hard to believe that Towers Of Gold is already two years old, but it’s not hard to believe just how engaging it still is. Like it was on that lazy Saturday morning in early June 2023. I was catching up on email, and the first newsletter I selected had a link to “The Best Metal on Bandcamp” for the month of May. The first entry was by an outfit from Greece. Sacred Outcry. The name resonated with me right away, and the blurb under the embedded audio made me sit up straight and put my headphones on.
“Let me hear this for myself.”
Images courtesy of Sacred Outcry.