Agincourt | ‘Angels Of Mons’

No, this album wasn’t released in 1981.

No, it wasn’t part of the NWOBHM.

But man, listening to Agincourt’s debut album ‘Angels Of Mons’ and looking at pictures of the band, you could be easily forgiven for imagining this LP being the result of yet another reunion from 30 years back released by High Roller Records.

It’s another top quality release by the vinyl-loving label though, and as such comes on gorgeous gold vinyl to complement the very British cover and logo.

There’s also a great 12” booket with the CD artwork on it, photos, band history and lyrics telling of the story of the Angels Of Mons in World War I, where angels descended from heaven to fight the Nazis.

Except it never actually happened at the Battle Of Mons. It was a fictitious piece in The Evening News about bowmen from the 1415 Battle Of Agincourt being summoned to fight in WWI, but was mistakenly printed as an eyewitness account and subsequently Chinese-whispered into reality.

Stylistically, the album is traditional British metal in the vein of Elixir, Saxon, with a Witchfinder General influence throughout, and unsurprisingly enough the band played the British Steel festival last year, and despite being the first band on, made quite a few fans – to such an extent that this LP was an immediate purchase for me once it was announced.

Overall it’s a great listen, mostly mid-paced and sung extremely well, vocalist Richard E. Toy having a very emotive, slightly nasally voice in a Biff Byford or Paul Taylor style.

There are plenty of hooks and great riffs in the faster songs such as ‘Captured King’ and ‘Queen Of The Night’, but the entire album is merely a precursor to what is already for me my favourite song of 2012.

Title track ‘Agincourt’ is quite simply incredible in every sense of the word. It doesn’t have to be played fast or heavy to convey a sheer sense of power, regret and pyrrhic glory.

The song displays the same heart wrenching railing against the pointless futility of war evoked in songs like ‘The Green Fields Of France’ by Makem & Clancy.

The amount of emotion in Toy’s voice elevates this track to greatness, and little nuances such as the noise of the angels drawing their swords really make it stand out.

Musically it’s spot on, with pounding bass and drums and no rush in the guitar riff at all, held back to make it that much more powerful; but the lyrics really take it over the top (pun unintended):

On this bloody field of Agincourt
Do you know what you’re fighting for?
On this bloody field of Agincourt
Just a memory and nothing more

It’s a truly great song, and the absolute highlight of an already great album. I’m planning to stay a day later after Headbanger’s Open Air this year, losing a day’s leave in work, solely to catch them play a half hour set at the aftershow; they’re that good. Pick this album up – it’s just worth it so much.

4.1 / 5 – Dónal McBrien ::: 14/03/12