Runespell’s discography, while overall good, has some spotty moments – and even these are more as a result of themes than of actual music. 2019’s Voice of Opprobrium (read our review here), for example, was equal parts gentle, medieval-inspired acoustics and flat-out growled blackness, making for a record that was very accessible to a wide audience, but nothing particularly innovative. I am glad to say that the mix has been balanced with the solo act’s latest release, however: Verses in Regicide may still demonstrate a melodic approach that is distinctly folk-ish and whimsical, but the structures and arrangements fall far more firmly on the side of pagan calls to arms. There’s a far stronger sense of pace shown, too – “Vengeance Reign,” for instance, uses a very effective methodology of br...