An email arrived recently from Toby Mulford asking if I’d take a look at, or rather listen to, the debut album from his Double-Edged Chord project entitled Stimbal the Weeper and the Lords of Phraille.
He said it’s a progressive rock sword and sorcery epic which crosses Conan the Cimmerian with The Music Man, as Performed by King Crimson.
Well, with a title like Stimbal the Weeper I was immediately intrigued. Toby sent me the album along with a press release which raised my curiosity further. I’ll read from the press release to give you the background before I tell you what I think of the album.
Prog Rock band Double-Edged Chord announces its debut album, Stimbal the Weeper and the Lords of Phraille, which releases on January 9th, 2026.
Told by a variety of narrators over nine tracks, the concept album weaves an epic story of loss, destruction, and redemption in an ancient world, as a battle-weary gladiator struggles to recover the family he lost, and later to free a child from a supernatural prison.
Along the way, he’ll encounter ruined cities, flaming ghosts, ancient evil kings, and a very sarcastic nine-year-old.
While Stimbal the Weeper and the Lords of Phraille is inspired by the classic concept albums of the 1970s like Pink Floyd’s The Wall and Rush’s 2112, the album leans away from complex philosophy to focus on action-packed storytelling, subtle humour, and emotional punch.
The music is played almost exclusively on Chapman Stick and keyboard, with layered harmonies. Almost all vocals are performed by creator Toby Mulford, who relies on vocal acrobatics to embody his narrative characters, and to intone the Greek-chorus style lamentations of people scarred by generations of conflict.
The album is inspired by progressive rock (King Crimson, Rush) and modern vintage metal (Elder, Pallbearer). It began as an earworm in the composer’s head while driving a bus for summer camps in Northern Virginia, merged with a character concept for a role-playing game, and morphed into a full-length concept album after four years of frenzied basement experimentation.
OK – to the music…..
On first listen it made no sense. So weird and so quirky veering this way and that between both extremes. My ears couldn’t process what was going on. This would be one needing a little patience and repeat listening.
Patience has been rewarded. Stimbal revealed more with each listen and began to make sense. Eventually making much sense as my ears did get around all the changes of style, pace and subtlety – and often not so much subtlety.
It veers from heaviness to quietness to the downright bizarre. Inventive stuff as the tale of our hero Stimbal unfolds.
Toby quotes the likes of Rush and King Crimson as major influences for the album. I’d say that’s about right though chuck in much Fran Zappa and a spot of ELP too.
As an example of how the masses of style, pace and offbeat time signatures work together somehow – check out the ten minute opener of Prologue: The Fall of Phraille.
The bombastic start and then as it flows this way and that over the ten minutes. It’s quite something when you get used to it.
The Ballad of Stimbal the Weeper is nice and punchy. City of Gold has a weirdly effective vocal style and hook. City of Ghosts too.
You’re Not Very Smart brings in a sort of ballad but it’s not quite one and the quirky high pitched vocal is, well, quirky. Yet catchy.
With Stimbal, Toby has something a bit different, yet so good once the coin of small denomination drops and your brain gets it.
Check it out on the Double-Edged Chord BandCamp page:
https://double-edgedchord.bandcamp.com/album/stimbal-the-weeper-and-the-lords-of-phraille
My thanks to Toby for getting in touch about it.
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