#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
REVIEW: TEMPLAR’s Conquering Swords – “A New Face To Add To The Growing List Of Exciting Swedish NWOTHM Acts”

https://bravewords.com/album-reviews/review-templars-conquering-swords-a-new-face-to-add-to-the-growing-list-of-exciting-swedish-nwothm-acts/

#REVIEW #TEMPLAR #ConqueringSwords #NewFaceToAddToTheGrowingListOfExcitingSwedish #BraveWords #metal #music

Timelapse Video - Map of Thedas from the Dragon Age Setting - Handmade Pyrography Art

Prometheus-pyrography.web.app

https://youtu.be/e2obJNdgvZM?si=0JA28FZuBFh7w9kV

This piece took roughly 30 or so hours of burning and a dozen hours of prep and clean up.

#Prometheus_Pyrography

#timelapse #speedart #magic #dragonage #thedas #pyrography #map #handmade #greywarden #dragon #rpg #rpggame #crafting #inquisition #dragonagetheveilguard #dragonageinquisition #dragonageorigins #art #templar #mage #fantasyartwork

Map of Thedas from the Dragon Age Setting - Handmade Pyrography Art

Prometheus-pyrography.web.app

https://youtu.be/CXp3Y6ZCWQY?si=3IfgY7SoRbGUPfwg

This piece took roughly 30 or so hours of burning and a dozen hours of prep and clean up.

#Prometheus_Pyrography

#dragonage #thedas #pyrography #map #handmade #greywarden #woodburning #rpg #rpggame #crafting #inquisition #dragonagetheveilguard #dragonageinquisition #dragonageorigins #art #templar #mage #fantasyartwork #dndgift #geekgift #giftsforgamers

Templar “Conquering Swords” Out Now Via Jawbreaker Records

Out now through Jawbreaker Records, “Conquering Swords” marks the arrival of Templar’s first full‑length assault, a record that cements the Swedish heavy metal battalion as one of the genre’s most vital new forces. Forged in the lineage of their Black Knight demo and Treacherous Beast 7”, the album captures the band at full power, wielding steel, melody and unwavering conviction with the authority of seasoned warriors.

“Conquering Swords” sees Templar sharpen every weapon in their arsenal. The record channels the spirit of classic Scandinavian heavy metal while carving out a sound unmistakably their own. Fans of Century, Heavy Load, Onyx, Overdrive, Mercyful Fate and Axewitch will find familiar fire here, but Templar’s command of soaring leads, triumphant choruses and ironclad riffcraft sets them apart as torchbearers for a new era.

Jawbreaker Records proudly stands behind this release as a testament to the enduring power of true heavy metal. Swedish steel will never die.

To mark the release, a limited run of official Templar merchandise has also arrived:

• Gildan heavy cotton T‑shirts
• Woven patches produced by Turborock Productions

Quantities are strictly limited. When they’re gone, they’re gone — so act fast, warriors.

Order here: https://www.jawbreaker.se/product-tag/templar/

Templar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/templarsweden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edvwTCxCc8c

There’s a burgeoning old school 80s trve metal movement growing these days, with more and more young bands longing to sound really olde. Steel is there for that, as it speaks directly to his ancient bones. A good number of these retro sword-swinging acts seem to be coming out of Sweden of late. We covered Century’s Sign of the Storm last year, and here comes Templar with their Conquering Swords debut, which was produced by Century’s Staffan Tengnér. As a fan of conquest and swords (and that awesome van-worthy cover art), I’m the target audience for this early 80s throwback insanity, which steals from cult acts like Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol, and Brocas Helm as well as NWoBHM heroes like Satan and Witchfinder General. All this is to be expected, but what I didn’t see coming was the hefty Mercyful Fate influence that Templar throw around like a 50-pound sack of wet concrete. On paper, that should not work, but does it work in your tin ear? Let’s take a peek.

After a rousing, table-setting intro, you’re launched into “Witchking” and greeted by classic 80s guitar lines with a burly trve vibe sure to get your lust for battle growing. When Isak Neffling starts singing, those familiar with the Mercyful Fate demos and the original EP will hear a notable similarity to an early-day King Diamond. I don’t mean the high-pitched falsettos, but the ominous baritones he used regularly before he became a faux-evil cartoon character. One could also say Isak also reminds of The Night Eternal’s Ricardo Baum, who borrowed a lot from Mr. Diamond vocally himself. Either way, it makes for an interesting listen as Isak sings of Tolkien baddies, swords, and sorcery. “Excalibur” is all beef and chest-pounding bravado with a galloping pace, scrotal power to spare, and a chorus that feels just epic enough. It hits all the nostalgia bells and feels ancient as fook, but it can still beat your ass like a back-alley thug.

Elsewhere, “Exiled in Fire” is fast, fist-pumping classic metal with sweet guitar work and a rowdy, rough edge that takes me back to the dirty, unpolished NWoBHM days. “Shipwreck” is another riffy good time with a vague In Solitude vibe, and “White Wolf” is about as epic 80s metal as it gets without lapsing into Spinal Tap levels of parody. At a tight 40 minutes and with all songs contained in the 4-5 minute window, there’s not much fluff or blubber on the compositions. The only drawback is that the writing routinely sits in that “good and almost very good” pocket, never fully reaching that next level of badassery. It’s an easy, entertaining spin, but it won’t blow anyone’s mind or make many end-of-year lists. The production is painstakingly designed to sound rough and vintage, and it does hit that 1980-1982 aura with a warmth and texture that modern recordings often lack.

Gustav Harrysson and Teddy Edoff bring the sounds of proto and epic 80s metal to the Great Hall, cleaving closely to the NWoBHM blueprint but always injecting that grand and glorious edge to their playing. I hear many hints of early Mercyful Fate and Satan in their choices, and the Manilla Road-isms are there too. I don’t know if Isak Neffling was trying to channel King Diamond, but he certainly does, and that adds to the nostalgic appeal. Listen to “White Wolf,” and you hear the earliest days of Mercyful Fate, and that’s undeniably cool. His vocals don’t always work, though, and things get especially weird and awkward on “The Sorceress.” In toto, Isak gives Templar an X factor the band wouldn’t have otherwise, and that certainly works in their favor despite a few misfires.

Conquering Swords is an interesting and engaging debut from a band that have the potential to be much more. There are moments scattered across the album that hint at greatness, and maybe with more time and effort, those parts lead someplace special. As things stand, Templar are a good throwback band with one foot in the past and the other looking for the next place to stomp. Where they go from here will prove interesting. Worth checking out for the love of Diamond and rust(ed swords).



Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Jawbreaker
Websites: facebook.com/templarsweden | instagram.com/templar.band
Releases Worldwide: February 27th, 2026

Interview: Templar (Sweden)

The Nwothm

Stockholm’s Templar are one of the newest bands carrying Sweden’s heavy metal legacy forward with conviction. Formed in 2022, they’ve quickly built momentum through their Black Knight demo, the Treacherous Beast EP, and now their 2025 single “Trident” – all leading toward their upcoming full‑length Conquering Swords. With a sound rooted in classic metal, a clear visual identity, and a love for mythic storytelling, Templar are stepping into a defining chapter. We caught up with the band to talk origins, evolution, and what awaits in 2026.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oKqqmepTPE

Interview

TheNwothm: For anyone discovering Templar for the first time, how would you introduce the band and the spirit behind what you do?

Templar: We play Heavy Metal in the classic style, inspired a lot by the Swedish Heavy Metal scene of the 80s. Our objective has never been to be derivative though, but to create our own style inspired by those bands. But anyone who likes Heavy Load or early Europe will definitely feel right at home with our music.

TheNwothm: Take us back to 2022. What sparked the decision to form Templar, and what convinced each of you that this was the right moment to start something new?

Templar: Until around 2021, I had a band with a bunch of friends from high school. None of the others were quite as motivated to play Heavy Metal as I was, so it never really got anywhere and we eventually disbanded. So I decided to take the best songs from there and start Templar. That’s what became the Black Knight demo. Bringing in Teddy felt like a natural choice since we’d been friends for a long time and he didn’t have a band at the time. Alvin and Adam, who played on the demo, didn’t last very long and left for various reasons. I knew of Isak from before as our old bands had played together, so he felt like a good choice. Plus, he’s an incredible singer, his vocals are what makes the whole Treacherous Beast EP in my opinion. I had jammed a little with Mille in a previous band, so he also felt like a pretty natural choice to bring in.

TheNwothm: You are based in Stockholm, Sweden. What parts of the city feel most connected to the band’s identity?

Templar: We have our rehearsal place in Fridhemsplan, and there’s a bar there called Teodoras which we often gather at and drink beer before and after rehearsal. Funnily enough only one of us actually live in the city, with the rest of us living outside of Stockholm.

TheNwothm: The Swedish heavy metal scene is thriving! Who are you personal favourite bands from the scene and who have you particularly enjoyed sharing a stage with?

Templar:  Century is the best current band in my opinion. They do everything right, their sound and image is just perfect. We’ve also played with them, we opened for them when they did their release show for their latest album. Very nice guys. Other than that Helvetets Port is also a favorite of mine.

TheNwothm: What do you think of the current state of the trad metal movement? And do you think it honours its routes or evolved too much?

Templar: For me Heavy Metal is a timeless genre, and I prefer to just call it Heavy Metal. To me “traditional” or “old-school” Heavy Metal implies that it is imitating something older, and that it is “set” in a certain period of time, if you get what I mean. You wouldn’t call a band playing jazz “old school jazz”, nor an orchestra playing classical music as “old school classical”. With that being said, I think there are a lot of good bands nowadays that play real Heavy Metal, some more “evolved” than others. I don’t think evolving is necessarily a bad thing, it really depends on what you do with it. Hällas is a great example of a band where they honor their roots but still sound very unique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oZ_jR2S4ec

TheNwothm: You have a strong brand, with your image, your powerful name and great music. Do you believe it is important to sell yourself especially if you want to get far in music?

Templar: I think having an image draws people in. It is not a coincidence that KISS has become as big as they have, their image is instantly recognizable. It shows the listeners that we are not afraid to take ourselves seriously. We also live in an era where everything is supposed to have ironic undertones, and people seem to be afraid of earnest expression. We want to be something different than that. 

TheNwothm: Your themes revolve around mythology, fantasy and history. Are there particular Swedish myths or historical moments that have found their way into your writing?

Templar: I’ve been wanting to write about Norse mythology for a while but we have not really done it yet. When we’ve referenced mythology in our writing it has been more of Roman and Greek mythology, like with “Trident”.

TheNwothm: Thinking back, your first release was the 2023 demo Black Knight. What do you remember most vividly about creating that first recording?

Templar: What I remember best was the frustrating recording process. It was all done in my friend’s rehearsal space with only three microphones, with a sound card hooked up to a laptop. Definitely no professional work environment, haha.

TheNwothm: “Treacherous Beast” arrived later in 2024 as an EP. What story or atmosphere were you aiming to capture across those songs? And do you feel it was a natural evolution from your demo?

Templar: We changed a lot between the demo and “Treacherous Beast”, to the point where it almost sounds like a completely different band. And it almost is, as we replaced two band members and Teddy switched over to guitar from bass. The song lyrics are very classical fantasy storytelling. 

TheNwothm: “Trident” followed in 2025. What was the creative spark behind that single, and how did it come together in the studio? Is it a taster of your upcoming album or a standalone single?

Templar: “Trident” is going to be on the upcoming album, opening the B-side of the vinyl. The original song is actually from the 80s, as it’s originally by Mille’s dads old band, which was called Trident. They never released anything with that band, so we sort of inherited the song and did our own take on it.

TheNwothm: Your upcoming full length “Conquering Swords” is set for 2026. What can you share about the themes or ideas that shaped this record?

Templar: Like with the songs on “Treacherous Beast”, we like to tell stories with our songs, often very fantasy inspired. Sometimes it’s our own stories and sometimes it’s about a book or a movie. Overall often mystical and heroic themes. “Excalibur” for example is about the Arthurian legend.

TheNwothm: What other details can you share about the album? Will you be taking a new direction or include any surprises for fans?

Templar: Those who like our previous work will surely not be disappointed. It’s in the same vein as the “Treacherous Beast” EP, but more polished and overall better I would say. Harder hitting production.

TheNwothm: I would love to know, If you could place one historical figure, mythological creature or fantasy character in the front row of a Templar gig, who would you choose and why?

Templar: Gandalf, because he can shoot fireworks. It would be cool to have fireworks at a show.

TheNwothm: Looking ahead what do you have planned for shows in 2026?

Templar: We are doing a tour of Germany and Czechia, coming up now in March. Then we are doing a release show in Stockholm, and then we will be playing the festivals Dying Victims Attack and Keep It True.

TheNwothm: What goals do you have for Templar as an independent band moving forward?

Templar: Our current goal is to start working on our next album soon. Hopefully we can get into the studio by this summer.

TheNwothm: How can our readers buy your music and merch?

Templar: Our upcoming record is available for pre-order through jawbreaker.se! We will also be selling shirts, patches and pins there.

TheNwothm: Where can fans follow you online?

Templar: Instagram or Facebook are where we’re active.

TheNwothm: Anything else you would like to mention?

Templar: Thank you for having us!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA0a8YOvc_I

Review: Templar: Conquering Swords

Release date: 27 February 2026

Label: Jawbreaker Records

Gage J. Tolin

Sweden’s heavy metal warriors TEMPLAR return from the forge with their highly awaited debut full-length album, “Conquering Swords” – a triumph of steel, melody, and unyielding spirit. Out February 27th 2026 on Jawbreaker Records, this album sees TEMPLAR fully realize the potential shown on their “Black Knight” demo and “Treacherous Beast” single, striking with the precision and might of seasoned conquerors.

Recorded under the guiding hand of Staffan Tengnér (Century), “Conquering Swords” carries that unmistakable warmth and authenticity that you’ll recognize from the “Treacherous Beast” 7″ as well as Century’s albums. The production balances raw energy with clarity, allowing every soaring guitar harmony and pounding bassline to shine through. The final blade was sharpened by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony, whose mastering lends the album its thunderous and timeless power.

Across its ten tracks, “Conquering Swords” leads listeners through a world of high adventure and medieval grandeur – a realm where valor, betrayal and destiny collide. Dual guitars blaze like clashing steel, while galloping rhythms and anthemic choruses summon visions of distant fortresses and moonlit battlefields. In short, TEMPLAR continue to tend to the flame of true Heavy Metal first ignited by Heavy Load and other golden era bands from the First Wave of Swedish Heavy Metal.

With Isak Neffling’s commanding vocals and thundering bass, Mille Lundström’s relentless drumming, and the dueling guitars of Teddy Edoff and Gustav Harrysson, Templar are raiding the banner of Heavy Metal high – pure, unfiltered heavy metal with heart, honor, and hooks to spare. So raise your swords and heed the call to arms! The conquest begins February 27th, 2026.

For fans of: Century, Heavy Load, Onyx, Overdrive, Mercyful Fate and Axewitch.

LINE-UP
Isak Neffling – Vocals & Bass
Gustav Harrysson – Guitars
Teddy Edoff – Guitars
Mille Lundström – Drums

Review

“Gates of Angmar (Intro)” began with the tolling of a bell and some appropriate ambiance that sounded ripped straight out of an 80s movie like Conan or Krull (underrated movie btw). The galloping of horses hooves patter along as the synth-laden introduction builds to a crescendo alongside booming drums. A disembodied voice of pure evil snarls out some dark lines, though its own corruption made its worse impossible to decipher, but it could only beckon doom.

With a sizzling riff “Witchking” kicked off with a bang, followed closely by an evil laugh and a truly dastardly lead riff that conveyed the same sense of dread as the initial riff in Black Sabbath’s eponymous track or Venom’s “Don’t Burn the Witch”. In fact, while Templar’s sound is undoubtedly rooted in their forefathers of the epic metal scene like Heavy Load and Manilla Road, there is a pronounced Venom influence throughout that I found oddly refreshing. In a way, rather than epic metal, this almost sounds like just evil power metal, there’s such a degree of malice behind every note of the guitars, every thump of the bass, and every crash of the drums. Neffling’s quieter approach to the vocals here give it an even greater sense of foreboding. Including the intro track alongside it, it’s one hell of a mood-setter to start off!

“Excalibur” showcased another strong riff, but also some disgusting (good thing) basslines that really shined a spotlight on the production and mixing for the bass in particular. It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite bass tones on an album, Satan’s Court in the Act (which I now realize is another act of whom Templar draws from). The evilness of the prior two tracks is somewhat prevalent still here, but in a different light, here it feels less all-encompassing and more subtle. Almost as though here we see the tale from the hero’s perspective, raising that iconic blade before they seek to vanquish evil. One of the shorter tracks on the album, but one that I found myself quite enjoying. The weird distorted ending drew my curiosity as well.

Now it’s time for the drummer to shine with “Rainbow’s End”, which started with Mille Lundström hitting his set hard and not once letting up. Moreover, I found Neffling’s vocal cadence to be a true ear-worm here, as well as where I really felt like he, and Templar’s lyrics, took center stage. Though it was certainly Lundström’s track to strut his stuff behind the kit, and he surely did, this was still chock full of an infectious chorus and some killer guitar work from the tandem twosome of Harrysson and Edoff. The Century influence is also quite strong with this one, though, as a fan of that band, that wasn’t something I had issue with.

“Exiled in Fire” had another slick guitar riff to start off, and carry on throughout the song, but again I found the production to be a true stand-out here. It gives the track, and the album as a whole, a nice amount of polish but without losing that rawness that I feel like metal should have. Really great lyrical work here, perfect stuff to imagine a scene (i pictured a dragon torching a village at one point). This was one that had its foot on the gas from the outset and never once slowed down, good stuff here.

https://youtu.be/58kapJ6OB4g

“The Sorceress” started off with a nice slow and moody guitar intro, with Neffling delivering his vocals just like the King himself (Diamond, not Elvis). The incredible sustains on the guitar in the background, accompanied nicely by the gradual thumping of the bass, gave the track a sense of mystique almost. It reminded me a bit of the rhythm portion of Scorpions “Sails of Charon”, like if you remove Uli’s incredible lead work and just focus on the bass and rhythm guitars. This change in tempo already makes the track a standout on the album, and Neffling’s vocals are a huge part of that, but the moodiness of the guitars simply propelled this one to another plane for me. The increase in speed as the track rushes to the end was the cherry on top. Great stuff, might be my favorite thus far.

In keeping with theme, “Trident” started off with another nice guitar riff, though this one more subdued than previous efforts. The prevailing gallop throughout the track gave it a nice Iron Maiden feel, and I could almost picture Bruce himself singing it. While catchy and sound all the way through, this was the shortest track on the album and did feel a bit like filler to some degree. However, it was far from what I’d call “bad”.

The three longest tracks on the album (each totaling over 5 minutes) are set to close it out, and first up is “Shipwreck”. A nice build-up gave way to a riff that I can only describe as funky, the interplay between the bass and the guitar carried an extra bit of magic along with it. This one reminded me a bit of post-reformation Angel Witch, but I couldn’t quite place as to exactly why. While another solid, if not good, track, I felt that this one plodded along just a bit too long and didn’t seem to reach that next gear that I felt like it was building towards.

“White Wolf”, which I assume to be named after Geralt of Rivia, began with a moody synth-laden intro that felt very much like the opening track for some black metal albums (Emperor springs to mind). This one leaned back into the Mercyful Fate and King Diamond side of things, something that I think Templar is exceptional at. The grooving of the guitar and the general vibes put out really harken me to my favorite tracks on the album. There’s a slight delay in the main riff that isn’t always there, but when it is, it just adds so much to the overall track.

“Conquering Swords” had a sort of dirge-like opening that was incredibly bass-heavy, some exquisite bass too, I might add. Ooh that drumroll was grand, straight outta the Manowar playbook, and the riff that followed was perfection. This same energy carried throughout the track, and it was something that I couldn’t find the right word for to describe it. “Epic” felt too overdone, but it felt the closest (“adventurous” maybe?). The incredible bridge portion where the guitars slow down and the bits of synth subtly return gave it an extra bit of flair as the track moved into its final phase, before ending with the crescendo of a thunderclap.

Conclusion

Templar’s debut full-length continues, and in some ways, perfects the style they set forth on their Treacherous Beast 7″. I was a huge fan of that little sneak preview into their career and I’m please to say that their debut is a worthy follow-up to it. Neffling’s vocals manage to be both similar and completely different on nearly every track, and on top of that, many of the tracks feature entirely different vibes to them. With a nice retro-tinged production job and absolutely littered with incredible riffs, drumming, and some seriously scintillating basslines, this is a great record. While every track may not be precisely what I want in my heavy metal, the ones that felt like they were for me all hit pretty damn hard. “The Sorceress” is probably my pick for my favorite on the album, but “Witchking” comes in a close second, followed by the final two tracks. Also, bonus points for the sick cover art, love that old-school adventure novel vibe.

TheNwothm Score: 8.5/10

Links

Bandcamp: https://jawbreakerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/conquering-swords

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/templarsweden

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/templar.band

Label: Jawbreaker Records

Read More Reviews

• Review: Templar: Conquering Swords

  30th Jan 2026

• REVIEW: ZEPTER – “ZEPTER”

  28th Jan 2026

• Review: Ravenspell- “Obsidian King”

  24th Jan 2026

• Review: Fili Bibiano’s Fortress “Death Is Your Master” 2026

  23rd Jan 2026

#axewitch #BlackSabbath #Century #Conan #debutAlbumRelease #HeavyLoad #HeavyMetal #IronMaiden #JawbreakerRecords #kingDiamond #Krull #manillaRoad #mercyfulFate #NewWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #NWOTHM #Onyx #Overdrive #Review #satan #scorpions #SwedishHeavyMetal #templar #thenwothm #thenwothmCom