Gatekeeper – From Western Shores Review

[Artwork by the incomparable Duncan Storr]

There is a forever discussion that goes on behind closed doors within the Last Rites Crew Discord concerning the Star Trek universe and whether or not the latest iterations of that realm are portrayed well enough to be considered worthy of the Roddenberry name. For yours truly—a person who’s spent decades watching and forever looping TOS, Next Generation, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise—I would say things fall as such: Discovery = very bad, because it mostly seems interested in drawing Marvel action movie fanatics into the circle; Picard = good, because it strikes a satisfying balance between fan service and tying everything up in a way that really hugs the heart; Strange New Worlds = very good, because it feels the most connected to Roddenberry’s original vision, and it’s also largely character driven, which allows for much deeper connections.

How this relates to Gatekeeper and their sophomore full-length From Western Shores is probably pretty obvious, no? The band hails from Canada, so they’re clearly either Jem’Hadar, the Edo, or Acamarians hailing from the wrong side of the tracks.

Actually, it’s the idea of an individual’s level of nerdery associated with traditional heavy metal that I’m most interested in here, and how that will likely determine how deep the connect with From Western Shores might be. Consider the following conversation I had with a fellow writer from another site a few weeks ago concerning the record.

» Heroic guardian of the realm, aka me: “There’s something about the record that’s finding sneaky and unique ways to tug at my heart.”
» Homeslice: “It’s cool, but I think it’s too slow for too much of the time.”
» Heroic guardian of the realm, aka me: “That’s the Scald influence.”
» Homeslice: “Who?”

On the surface, From Western Shores delivers a largely mid-paced form of epic heavy metal that has a good chance of netting anyone who appreciates a bit of a slow-burner that underscores the hell out of melody. Intentionally or not (it’s the former), the record also pays a form of fan service to NWOTHM nerds who love nothing more than sitting around a sewing table comparing notes regarding new releases and complimenting one another on obscure patches. It’s a beautiful thing.

It’s been a while since we last experienced Gatekeeper (2019’s Grey Maiden EP), and quite a lot has happened behind the walls amidst the band’s ten-or-so years of activity. That’s code for: “There’s been a revolving door as far as membership’s concerned.” This is not the result of any dickheadedness, mind you. It’s just… Well, you don’t need me to tell you how difficult it is for an underground band to keep a steady lineup as they valiantly attempt to grab a foothold in the modern age. Guitarist / nomadic Acamarian marauder Jeff Black has always been the principal helmsman behind Gatekeeper, and his vision for the band reads like the ever-growing “to look for” checklist carefully folded and tucked into the back pocket of an ‘80s metal nerd rummaging through a used tape case with twenty bucks burning a hole through their acid-washed pants. That is to say, the vision is clearly rooted in the classics—it cuddles and coddles the classics, just as it should—but it’s very much looking for that next step of uniqueness that only the most dedicated hunters end up strapping to the hood. Fates Warning? Yes, we all know and love Awaken the Guardian, but have you heard Lords of the Crimson Alliance? Real nerd shit, bruh.

Here’s how I envision the map Gatekeeper’s rolled out with From Western Shores: There’s some old creaky goodness right at the heart of everything—Warlord, Ungol, Vicious Rumors, etc.—and it’s rooted in the nerdier side of underground metal from the ‘80s that served as endless backdrops for World of Greyhawk campaigns. This includes a few surprises, thanks largely to yet another new vocal presence—Tyler Anderson of Odinfist—who spends the early part of the record channeling both Warrel Dane and the earliest years of Jon Oliva. Yah! That basically means the dude can absolutely wail. He also happens to hold a clear power metal sense that at times serves as a mirror image of, um, John Yelland of Judicator, or maybe even a brush-stroke of Midnight / Crimson Glory. I trust that sets expectations concerning the record’s vocal renovation impossibly high?

The doominess / slowness that still manages to embrace the “epic” earmark is clearly a bit more modern, like the first time you stumbled across Scald’s Will of the Gods is Great Power, or the more conspicuous comparison, Atlantean Kodex. There’s also a strong sense of the more progressive / keyboard-driven Iron Maiden years in that measured pace, though, as evidenced by the extremely Steve Harris-ed outset of a song such as “Exiled King.”

While it’s true the bulk of the material seems to float around a fairly gradual pace, there’s galloping afoot as well, most of which conjures an amalgamation of bands such as Twisted Tower Dire or classic Vicious Rumors, plus something a little more modern from the NWOTHM realm—say, Herzel. “Death On Black Wings,” for example, which harbors just enough sass in that riffing and amidst lead guitarist Adam Bergen’s bright solo to land itself on an early Shrapnel comp (fluffy hair and even fluffier high-tops included.) The fittingly titled “Twisted Towers,” as well—a song that’s begging for a moment of synchronized over-the-shoulder guitar tossing following that extravagantly joyous lead around 2:40.

We need to talk a bit more about Adam Bergen. If you’ve been a Gatekeeper fan for years, the biggest difference you’ll notice in 2023 will be rooted in the vocal shift from a more gritty J.P. Abboud (Traveler, Syrinx) to Tyler Anderson, an individual who’s certainly done his job to bring an entirely new and powerful dimension to the band. The addition of Adam Bergen in the lead guitar role is quite significant as well, though. Not to take away from those who’ve shredded for Gatekeeper in the past, but Bergen’s work top to bottom here is nothing short of spectacular. He’s flashy sans gratuitous exhibitionism, and very literally every song benefits from his aptitude for melodic soloing that’s both fluid and exhilarating (“Nomads!”). This also helps deflect from what would likely be considered the album’s foremost blemish: a relatively brittle production, particularly in the way the drums are mixed. A listener is far less likely to grumble with so many lovely leads afoot. So, yeah, here’s to hoping Jeff Black does whatever it takes to fuse him to the roster moving forward.

Beyond a very good debut from Chicago’s Fer de Lance, 2022 wasn’t really the best year for high quality traditional / epic metal. And while I wouldn’t say 2023 has exactly exploded from the gate with the intention to fully flip that script, a particularly satisfying adventure such as this and news of a pending split from DoomSword and Eternal Champion does indeed stoke the fires enough to plan for some level of recovery. Given the proper attention and perhaps a worthy level of wholesome nerdery, From Western Shores will surely work a welcomed form of magick into your life that’s very suited to Duncan Storr’s amazing cover artwork.

Qapla’!