Stygian Shore - The Shore Will Arise (1989/2007)

I absolutely love discovering bands like this. Being obscure while having some releases under your belt is one thing, but being obscure in the sense of you wrote a bunch of music, recorded it all, and it got shelved by either yourself (the band) or the label? That’s a whole other tale. And it’s with that age-old story we get the awesome underground epic metal attack of STYGIAN SHORE.

Formed in Wichita, Kansas in 1982, STYGIAN SHORE would be one of the pioneers in the U.S. epic metal scene, even engaging in some friendly competition with local legends Manilla Road. While they originally started off playing standard heavy metal, as is shown on their Stygian Shore EP from 1984, they’d progress into more fantastical and mythical themes, ultimately becoming a direct comparison to the aforementioned Manilla Road – and that’s in more ways than one. First, both bands were power trios. Both bands had lead singers who were also guitarists. Both bands had drummers who were backing vocalists, etc. etc. But second to that, both bands were friends with each other and fed off one another’s music. After playing lots of gigs, this kinship with Manilla Road helped STYGIAN SHORE enter the studio in 1989 to record what was supposed to be The Shore Will Arise, with Mark Shelton (of Manilla Road!) as producer. For reasons that aren’t quite clear, the recordings were finished, but shelved, and remained unreleased until 2007 when Shadow Kingdom Records got their hands on them. It was with this acquisition that STYGIAN SHORE could finally be seen in all their glory, as digital distribution allowed them to be listened to across the globe. And as for what they recorded during that fateful year of 1989? Well, to put it simply, it’s one of the greatest gems of the underground. Coming in at 54 minutes long, STYGIAN SHORE deliver 13 tracks of slow epic metal that could make warriors bow at command and emperors surrender their thrones.

Imagine if you will, someone taking a journey across the River Styx. It’s dark, and a frosty mist hangs all around you in the air, hazing your vision and muffling all sound. You look down at the River, noticing its inky-black current. On the banks, the sulphuric stench of decay wafts around yourself and the Styx ferryman, Charon. Up ahead in the distance, you see the entrance to Hades’ realm guarded by Cerberus, the three-headed hellhound... That’s what this album sounds like. Its almost “doomy” nature generates this dark and hellish atmosphere, offset by ripping wah-wah-soaked lead guitar lines and further reinforced by the occasional somber vocal delivery. But alongside this madness is some pure – plain and simple – bitchin’ heavy metal as well.

The album opens with “Immortal Soul,” “Metal Preacher,” and “Heavy Metal Queen” – 3 rippin’ songs, with the first 2 being more slow and “Heavy Metal Queen” being a more standard, driving pace. Up next is the crushing “Tidal Wave,” “The Living Dead,” “Let It Go,” and “Chainsaw Dean.” Each of these songs have such menacing riffs – like if Judas Priest were Satanic or something. It may be a simple trick, but that little switch of making something more evil-sounding makes songs sound way more interesting, at least in my opinion.

The next half of the album begins with the instrumental “Axe Grindo,” “Crygian Stew,” and “Visions of Doom.” The instrumental is cool, but essentially just a little guitar solo outtake. “Crygian Stew” (a little play on words for Stygian Crew) and “Visions of Doom,” however, are especially Manilla Road-like, even nailing Mark’s guitar tone and overall vibe. The album ends with “World Wilted Wings,” the title track “The Shore Will Arise,” and the closing instrumental “The End.”

If you like epic metal at all, I’m sure these titles will be appealing to you – as they should be – but even if you don’t, this album is not worth missing. Some of the sickest U.S. metal riffs ever recorded lie dormant within this beast, and by awakening it, you’ll become awash by the tides of the STYGIAN SHORE.

Also, since I couldn’t find a good place to write this organically, their bassist – Greg Marshall – got his hand destroyed in either a railroad accident or a car accident (there’s some conflicting stories on this) and as a result, he learned to play bass with a hook. How badass is that?!?!

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Originally published in Aug. '24 (Issue No. 4)