Palantyr are a speed metal band from France, originally forming in 2014 as Destrukt, changing their name to Palantyr in 2024 and releasing the EP ‘The Ascent & The Hunger’ in 2025.
Featuring six songs – three brand new ones alongside the three that featured on the band’s (that is Destrukt’s) last release, ‘The Ascent’ E.P. – Palantyr‘s debut E.P. is a blistering thirty-two minutes of all-out power and pace, the band at full throttle from start to finish as the E.P. gets underway with the older songs first.
Across the first fifty seconds or so to opener ‘Shan E Sorkh’, the band are in heavy, moody mode as a crescendo of anticipation is built ready for blistering pace to take over and see, or rather hear the band roar off down the autoroute at phenomenal speed – the level of head bang ability shooting right through the roof! The powerful vocal delivery of lead singer Athena is incredible. Palantyr storming on at an even faster pace with ‘Broken Mirror’, the band melding the aggression of thrash with their speed metal roots – every listener, fan and follower wrecking their necks as vigorous headbanging becomes the order of the day! A sensational brace to grab everyone’s attentions, the French metallers make it a tremendous threesome as ‘Son Of The White Mare’ increases the pace yet again! Unbelievable I know, but I’ve heard it myself, so I know it’s true – even a little classic-sounding heavy metal makes an appearance here, with the sound of metal legends Iron Maiden the major influence! And I defy anyone not to be open-mouthed at how much some of ‘Son Of The White Mare’ sounds just like eighties era Maiden.
As for the newer songs, ‘Ravenous’ is heavy, very heavy – but only after a minute-long guitar-led intro that draws everyone into the band’s soundscape, the iconic metal gallop taking front and centre as Palantyr pound the ground with anthemic leanings, the band’s speed metal roots taking a well-earned break for a moment! But just as I say that, the accelerator is slammed firmly to the floor as ‘Ravenous’ turns on its heels to resume the red hot scorching pace heard earlier, ‘Nosferatu’ a scintillating cover of a Paul Roland song – the English singer songwriter, author and music journalist well known for writing songs surrounding historical figures and/or characters from literature and film. ‘Nosferatu’ is taken from Roland’s 1989 album ‘Duel’, with Palantyr knocking a whole two minutes off the original’s run time! And the original ran for just over six minutes – the French metallers speeding up ‘Nosferatu’ by some margin to fit within the band’s speed metal remit! And to be honest, if you didn’t know it was a cover version, you’d swear it was a Palantyr original – ‘Graveyard’ closing the E.P. as the fastest song on offer! The blistering speed is sensational, everyone everywhere rocking their head back and forth at an extremely high rate of knots as ‘Graveyard’ hurtles on with unstoppable force!
Overall, a fast and furious thirty-two minutes of all-out power and pace, Palantyr deliver sensational speed and headbanging ability.
TRACKLIST
Shan E Sorkh
Broken Mirror
Son Of The White Mare
Ravenous
Nosferatu (Paul Roland cover)
Graveyard
Palantyr: Facebook
Release Year: 2025
Label: Jawbreaker Records
Category: EP
Country: France
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
