Review: Pentakill: Grasp of the Undying

As a casual fan of League of Legends and a big fan of power metal, I feel pretty confident in saying that Pentakill is the best thing that Riot has ever produced. The character designs and the aesthetic used to market them are some of the most excellently cheesy metal iconography one could ask for. And on top of all of that, they have not one but two albums released. So the real question becomes, does all that Riot money make Grasp of the Undying an epic journey through the Rift? Or is it as rage inducing as Ranked Solo Que?

Though it might not be a surprise for those of you who listened to the first album, Smite and Ignite, the music here is solid. There's some great guitar solos, crazy drum beats, and vocals to stir your inner warrior. Jørn Lande in all his glory returns to lend his voice to Karthus, lead singer for Pentakill. His voice is a perfect fit, just gritty enough to sound like a dead wizard but not so over the top as to make it unbelievable. This second album pairs with the release of Pentakill Kayle, female vocalist for the band, and voiced by Noora Louhimo. And while she's excellent, I feel she is underutilized, only being the focus of two songs. As the centerpiece to the new album, I would loved to have heard more of her. All of the instrumentation is spot on, though the laundry list of contributors is too long to get a real feel for who added what. One thing that I really appreciate is that this album leans more on the vocal side, where the Smite and Ignite had more instrumental tracks.


All the tracks have that heavy feeling that gets your blood pumping. Which is a bit of a misstep for the album. While all the songs are enjoyable, they're very homogeneous. They stay within the same tempo range for the most part and there's not a lot of distinction in how the tracks are built. One riff sounds as good as another as there is little variance between them. There are definitely moments in each song that set it apart but taken as a whole, listening to the whole album all the way through, you'll sometimes not recognize when one song ends and another begins. It's all very safe. Songs are powerful but formulaic, kind of what I would expect from a metal album most likely arranged by a committee. That's not to say that it's grey sludge of an album, I still enjoy listening to it, but in a world with so much new and exciting metal to experience, it doesn't do anything to really impress.


So is Grasp of the Undying worth listening to? If you're a fan of LoL, then absolutely. Submerging myself in the worlds Riot created is half the fun of the game for people like me, and this let's you do just that with plenty of in-jokes and references to pick up on. But you probably don't need me to tell you that. You've probably already played it through while playing with the new skins. So for none LoL players, is it worth it? I would still say yes. Jørn Lande and Noora Louhimo are both amazing and their great vocals are backed by solid, if conventional, music backing. And for the low cost of FREE, giving it a listen coasts you nothing but about 45 minutes. You're bound to find something you like.

Rating: 4/5 (For LoL Fans 5/5)