Femme-Metal Friday: Master Sword “Sanctuary”

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For the second week of Femme-Metal Friday, I'm going back to one of my favorites: Master Sword, the Legend of Zelda tribute band from Baltimore. They did not start out as a female-fronted band—their debut EP, Epoch, featured an array of talented vocalists, both male and female—but that all changed once vocalist Lily Hoy became a permanent fixture to the lineup in April 2016. Since then, the band continues to build a diversified audience: whether it is performing at gaming or comic book conventions, playing gigs with other similar tribute bands (who would have guessed that there was an entire local scene just for “video game music tribute bands”?!), or securing a slot at Baltimore's premiere femme-metal festival, Flight of the Valkyries; Master Sword is appealing to every demographic out there.

While the band continues work on their full-length album, Shadow and Steel, Master Sword has given fans a little taste of what they can expect with their latest lyric video for the song “Sanctuary”. The song is based on the Sanctuary theme from the classic game A Link to the Past from the early ’90s.

While all Zelda fans have their favorites in the series, A Link to the Past is a beloved game in the Zelda community for much the same reason as the eponymous first game, or Ocarina of Time: it is one of those iconic games that for many fans, was the first Zelda game they ever learned to play, or the game that got them interested in the franchise. It is a game that is rife with nostalgia for an entire generation of gamers, so if you are going to pay homage to something so cherished, expectations will be high; and if it isn't done right, you face the wrath of many angry fans who don't take kindly to having their childhood memories “trampled on”, or “disrespected”. No pressure, right?

Just like the hero in the green tunic that wields the weapon that gives the band its name, Master Sword is up to the challenge. After all, they are fans, too. These games mean as much to them as they do everyone else, and they show nothing but the highest respect for the source material in everything they do. Even for a simple lyric video that for some bands is no more than text with a run-of-the-mill backdrop, Master Sword cuts no corners in making the audience feel as if they have just stepped inside of an adventurous quest.

From the moment those dark, ominous tones kick in, the dungeon theme is instantly recognizable, and I can almost see the scary enemies lurking in the corners and almost feel inclined to look over my shoulder! Imagery of ink drawings of Link on aged parchment paper, misty visions of ethereal Sages, dim torchlight down a dark corridor, and the shadowy silhouette of Ganon (the antagonist of the series, or one of his forms, anyway!), all complement the eerie tone of the song.

For more information on Master Sword, visit the band's official Facebook page.

Hump Day Hot Ticket: Master Sword “Isle of the Sky Spirits”

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If you are a fan of The Legend of Zelda video game franchise, as I am, then the month of March is an exciting time. Breath of the Wild, the first new Zelda game for a major console in over 5 years is just days away. Another event that is just as exciting but isn't getting nearly as much press: the video premiere of “Isle of the Sky Spirits”, the first single from Master Sword's upcoming full-length debut, Shadow and Steel.

Who is Master Sword? If you are new here, then you probably don't know that I have written about them before. Master Sword is a power metal band from Maryland that pays tribute to The Legend of Zelda in their music: either by writing lyrics pertaining to Zelda lore, or composing metal versions of beloved Zelda themes. It is clear that the band has strong knowledge of the games and understands the material in ways that only the most hardcore Zelda fan could (and they can get pretty intense!). Most of all, you can hear the love and respect they have for the games and their creators. Master Sword seeks to take you on a journey through Hyrule (and all its parallel universes), encouraging listeners to step inside of Link's green tunic and live out his adventures with him.

So then, it stands to reason that for the band's first video, they want to do exactly that, and not only bring the familiar sights and sounds of the Zelda universe to fans who already love and enjoy the series, but also to share this world with the metal fanbase who may not necessarily know about Zelda or video games. It's quite a fine line to walk: you want the references to be detailed enough for the biggest fans to instantly recognize, but also simplistic enough to where the most casual observer can still follow along.

Master Sword manages to strike this balance perfectly. The video begins with a shot of waves gently lapping on the shore, and the band instantly kicks into a heavy jam of the Dragon Roost Island theme, an integral piece of music from The Wind Waker—a Zelda game whose story centers on a world submerged in water, and the few islands that rose from the flood to sustain the lives that remained.

If you have read my previous reviews about Master Sword, then you will know that their first EP featured vocal duties from several different singers, including Thrillkiller's Rob Bradley, and Nina Osegueda from A Sound of Thunder. If you know what powerful voices those two have, then you know that whoever the band chose to recruit for a full-time vocalist had to be someone who was really gonna knock your socks off, because they are a tough act to follow!

From the moment that Master Sword's frontwoman Lily Hoy opens her mouth, her voice roars out and makes it apparent that not only can she hold her own with either of the aforementioned singers, but her vocals are so powerful that the speakers on my little phone can barely handle it! She is dressed in a green ensemble of her own, and her eye makeup is painted in the design of the Sheikah tribe, the protectors of Hyrule's royal family, and keepers of the monarchy's darkest secrets. (This reference will have meaning later.)

Meanwhile, we see a hooded figure in a green tunic and the trademark Hylian Shield, and we know it is Link walking along the sandy shores. The other bandmembers are wearing pendants of the Hylian Shield to further emphasize the reference. Most of the video alternates between shots of the band performing, and quick glimpses of “Link” wielding his sword, or standing very hero-like by the shore. We never see the two parties meet, but as Link walks along, we see the bandmembers (minus Lily) standing on a hill, dressed in hooded cloaks just like the Seven Sages that guard the Sacred Realm, where Hyrule's main center of power resides: the Triforce. As the Link character approaches closer, the music turns to a more faithful rendition of the Dragon Roost Island theme; a more classical sound reminiscent of merry minstrels and wandering troubadours. When Link reaches the cloaked figures and doffs his own hood, my inner Zelda geek rejoices as I see the trademark blue Ocarina of Time. As Link takes the Ocarina and holds it to his lips, Master Sword saves the best surprise for last by making reference to the greatest Zelda plot twist in the franchise's history.

For more information on Master Sword, or to purchase Shadow and Steel, visit the band's official website.

Special thanks to Matt Farkas.

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*This review is dedicated to the memory of Zellie Blake: 1982-2010.*

“Whenever there is a meeting, a parting shall follow. But that parting needs not last forever. Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short while...that is up to you.”

—The Happy Mask Salesman, Majora's Mask