Epica – Omega – Album Review

Artist: Epica

Album Title: Omega

Label: Nuclear Blast

Date of Release: 26 February 2021

My history with Epica dates back to 2007 and the release of their third full-length album, ‘The Divine Conspiracy’. I was writing for Powerplay Magazine at the time and Epica were one of three bands to feature as part of a triple-header listening session at the Nuclear Blast headquarters in Germany. I was lucky enough to get the assignment, so I was able to hear Epica’s first album for their new label in front of Mark Jansen and Simone Simons along with selected press from all over Europe.

I was impressed with what I heard on disc as well as in conversation with the musicians afterwards, and duly became a fan of the Dutch band. I found their brand of bombastic symphonic metal to be rather stirring, as it was both properly heavy yet melodic, catchy yet dramatic, with male growled vocals placed alongside the powerful, rich tones of Simone Simons.

However, over the next few years after the release of ‘Design Your Universe’ in 2009, I became more and more disinterested with Epica. Try as I might, and I certainly did try, I couldn’t muster enough interest in any of the following three albums, 2012’s ‘Requiem For The Indifferent’, ‘The Quantum Enigma’ (2014) and ‘The Holographic Principle’ releases in 2016. I just felt that there was too much going on, with not enough in the way of memorable song writing. Style over substance some might say. With a break of five years, though, and a strong feeling that I didn’t want to shelve the band, I have spent some time with album number eight, ‘Omega’. And what do you know? I really like it and I can begin to remember all of those reasons why, some 14 years ago, I first became enamoured with Epica.

In an effort to be consistent with other reviews, I will say that over 70 minutes, ‘Omega’ is a little on the long side and could have been trimmed ever so slightly. This is made doubly true when you take a listen to the music itself. ‘Omega’, like the albums before it, is no shrinking violet, no ‘less is more’ motto being used. The music is multi-layered, complex in its construction, varied, dramatic, and full of competing styles of music, everything from death metal to classical, from folk to melodic metal. It makes for an intense listening experience which, at well over the hour in length, may well put some potential listeners off.

That being said, it feels mealy-mouthed to criticise Epica for delivering too much music, especially given how good the material actually is. Mark Jansen has gone on record to say that for all the bombast, the aim with this record was to tailor the music more to the live setting, should we ever get back to the halcyon days of gig-going. It means that this time round, there was a concerted effort to create more high energy, catchy material that would go down a storm in front of a packed venue. And, on balance, I’d say that Epica succeeded. I say this because, for all the drama and complexity, there were plenty of moments during my first listen, where I immediately took a liking to a melody, a chorus, a bridge, or a vocal line, instantly firing a desire within me to press play again. Based on my reaction to other releases in their back catalogue, this is definitely not something to be sniffed at.

Not really expecting much at the outset, I was taken by surprise by the first full track, ‘Abyss Of Time – Countdown To Singularity’. After the ubiquitous rousing cinematic instrumental intro piece, ‘Abyss…’ kicks in, continuing the intro melody via a really cool riff. The growls of Mark Jansen are properly savage, the perfect foil to Simone’s angelic voice. It’s an upbeat, memorable opening salvo, complete with full-on choirs and symphonics courtesy of Coen Janssen, an extreme metal segment where Isaac Delahaye and Jansen deliver a heavy, groovy riff, whilst drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek and bassist Rob van der Loo lay down a muscular rhythmic backbone. Such is the catchiness and sense of passion that permeates through the song, it forced me to sit up, take notice, and listen attentively to the remainder of the album.

‘The Skeleton Key’ drops the pace in favour of mid-tempo power, laced with a slightly darker tone. I’m certain that Simone Simons has never sounded quite this good, coming alive in the quieter, more Gothic-sounding verses thanks to her expressive delivery. Again, I’m impressed by the heaviness and the richness of the composition, as well as the clever use of accentuated light and shade to really enhance the drama of the song.

The Middle Eastern flavour of ‘Seal Of Solomon’ is a welcome ingredient, as is the liberal use of Jansen’s deep growls. I ask this rhetorically, but how can someone so nice and always so warm and smiley sound so malevolent? The chorus, complete with bold choir, is a soaring, catchy affair which gets under the skin quickly, and effectively.

There’s so much going on within ‘Omega’ that I could easily justify a track-by-track run-down. But, with twelve individual tracks to tackle, the review might take until next week to write. Instead, I’ll pick out a few more of my personal highlights.

The Middle Eastern influences again loom large throughout ‘Code Of Life’, which comes complete with a guest appearance from Myrath’s Zaher Zorgati within the mystical and atmospheric intro. It’s a brilliant song, full of variation as well as a heavier reliance on choirs than ever, both in the verses and the anthemic chorus that’s simply glorious, capped by another spellbinding performance from Simone Simons.

I have to mention the thirteen minute epic ‘Kingdom Of Heaven Part 3 – The Antidiluvian Universe’, which apparently completes a trio of songs that began on 2009’s ‘Design Your Universe’ and continued within 2014’s ‘The Quantum Enigma’. Whilst I can’t currently comment on the first two parts (something I will remedy as soon as possible), I can happily sing the praises of this concluding part. Given it’s length it’ll come as no surprise to learn that it’s the most varied and all-encompassing track on the record. Beginning quietly, deftly, with delicate instrumentation, it builds via a cinematic, symphonic section, to release into a full-on symphonic metal affair, with fast-paced drumming, and brisk riffing. From there, we’re treated to some heavy, chugging riffs, a simply gorgeous chorus, plenty of instrumental sections that are engaging and interesting rather than gratuitous or unnecessary padding, and lots of extreme metal embellishments, including some wonderfully snarling and venomous vocals from Mark Jansen.

‘Rivers’ is a beautiful ballad within which Simone shines, whilst ‘Synergize – Manic Manifest’ is arguably the heaviest track on ‘Omega’, complete with the most striking lead guitar solo of the entire album. And then, special mention has to go to ‘Twilight Reverie – The Hypnagogic State’ which has remained one of my favourites courtesy to the beguiling melodies found at varying points within it. They piqued my interest on the first spin and have only become more magical over time.

I have to admit it, Epica have well and truly pulled me back into the fold. I wasn’t expecting to like ‘Omega’ this much if I’m honest, but here I am with plenty of egg on my face. Perhaps the five-year hiatus has done the band and I some good? Maybe. I actually think it as simple as this though: Epica have delivered the album that has managed to find the near-perfect blend of extreme metal, symphonic majesty, and melody. As such, whilst the songs may be multi-layered and full of over-the-top pomposity, they remain completely listenable, enjoyable, and as addictive as a rush of adrenaline. Simply put, ‘Omega’ is almost certainly the best symphonic metal album that I have heard in a long time.

The Score of Much Metal: 93%

Further reviews from 2021:

Humanity’s Last Breath – Välde

Simulacrum – Genesis

Forhist – Forhist

Evergrey – Escape Of The Phoenix

Empyrium – Über den Sternen

Moonspell – Hermitage

Infernalizer – The Ugly Truth

Temperance – Melodies Of Green And Blue EP

Malice Divine – Malice Divine

Revulsion – Revulsion

Demon King – The Final Tyranny EP

Dragony – Viribus Unitis

Soen – Imperial

Angelus Apatrida – Angelus Apatrida

Oceana – The Pattern

Therion – Leviathan

Tribulation – Where The Gloom Becomes Sound

Asphyx – Necroceros

W.E.T. – Retransmission

Labyrinth – Welcome To The Absurd Circus

TDW – The Days The Clock Stopped

Need – Norchestrion: A Song For The End

You can also check out my other reviews from previous years right here:

2020 reviews

2019 reviews
2018 reviews
2017 reviews
2016 reviews
2015 reviews

Ayreon – The Source – Album Review

 

Artist: Ayreon

Album Title: The Source

Label: Mascot Label Group/Music Theories Recordings

Date Of Release: 28 April 2017

My relationship with the music of Arjen Anthony Lucassen is a complex one. I would definitely class myself as a fan, but not one without reservation, as the back catalogue contains both the sublime and the slightly less impressive as far as I’m concerned. For example, I love the ‘Space Metal’ and ‘Victims of the Modern Age’ albums under the Star One moniker, whereas I have a hard time with early Ayreon records up to and including ‘Into The Electric Castle’. For many, this latter revelation will be akin to blasphemy, but that’s my opinion and I stand by it.

Nevertheless, latter Ayreon releases have made a much more positive impact with ‘01011001’ and ‘The Theory of Everything’ both capturing my imagination to the point where I was really excited to hear Lucassen’s ninth instalment of this particular franchise, ‘The Source’.

It has been a while in the making, some four years since the release of ‘The Theory of Everything’. Mind you, projects as ambitious as ‘The Source’ take some time and organisation to pull off, even for a workaholic like Lucassen. Additionally, the intervening period has also seen him working with Anneke van Giersbergen on the debut The Gentle Storm album, ‘The Diary’.

‘The Source’ is, as you might expect, a full-on science-fiction concept album, set 6 billion years in the past, that seeks to tell the story of an alien race’s attempts to save themselves and their planet from crisis. It is comprised of 17 individual tracks of progressive rock and in keeping with these huge Ayreon rock operas, it features no fewer than twelve guest vocalists, some which are new to the Ayreon family and others that are returning for another stint. As such, you get to hear the talents of James LaBrie (Dream Theater), Tommy Giles Rogers (Between the Buried and Me), Simone Simons (Epica), Mike Mills (Toehider), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Michael Eriksen (Circus Maximus), Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia), Nils K. Rue (Pagan’s Mind), Zaher Zorgati (Myrath), Tommy Karevik (Seventh Wonder, Kamelot) and Russell Allen (Symphony X).

If that wasn’t enough, Lucassen, the multi-instrumentalist recluse is joined by a select group of musicians including drummer Ed Warby (Gorefest, Elegy), guitarists Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), Guthrie Govan (The Aristocrats, Asia, Steven Wilson), Marcel Coenen and keyboard player Mark Kelly (Marillion). There’s even room for guest appearances from regulars like cellist Maaike Peterse, flautist Jeroen Goossens and violinist Ben Mathot.

Regardless of your thoughts on the music of Arjen Lucassen, one cannot deny his ambition to pull this project together, however seasoned a pro he might be. And on that note, let’s venture into the music itself. After all, that’s why you’re reading this review isn’t it?

Cutting swiftly to the chase, it is fair to say that long term fans will be left feeling very happy with the results, wrapped safely in the comforting arms of the familiar. The die has been cast on previous Ayreon albums and by-and-large, there are no major deviations from the norm on ‘The Source’. It is over-the-top, pompous and at times, a little silly. Pick your cheese of choice and you’ll find a morsel or two of it here without question. My toes occasionally curl and I wince at certain points. The Celtic, folky ‘All That Was’ for example, does not fare well in my estimations, neither does the operatic injection within ‘Deathcry of a Race’ which is simply too much and a little ‘nails down a blackboard’ for me. As a result, ‘The Source’ is not the perfect, blemish-free release.

And yet, there is no escaping the fact that ‘The Source’ is a hugely enjoyable album for the most part, with plenty of stand-out moments where my imagination is fully captured and my enthusiasm ignited. And it must be said that much of my enjoyment comes from listening to the various vocalists who guest on this record. There are still those out there who dismiss heavy metal as just noise, overlaid by shouty blokes who can’t sing. Well, if there was ever a record to expose this ignorant view as the huge falsity that it is, it’s this one. The talent from across the gender divide is just off the scale and as absurd as the concept is in places, the vocalists breathe life into it, giving it a genuine credibility in the process.

In fittingly bombastic style, the record begins with a 12-plus minute epic that introduces just about every singer that features on the album. I’m not the biggest James LaBrie fan but even he sounds great, floating through an eerie and post-apocalyptic, dystopian soundscape at the outset. The song twists and turns throughout, never settling, as the groundwork for the concept is laid. Tommy Karevik is the early show-stealer thanks to an incredibly passionate and powerful performance, but the surprisingly heavy chugging riff pushes him close. Lucassen himself refers to this record as more guitar driven and heavier, a point that is underlined here right from the outset.

But the undoubted star of the opening act, surrounded by the likes of Nils K. Rue, Tobi Sammet and Hansi Kursch has to be Mike Mills. It’s a cliché as old as time to say that you could listen to certain vocalists singing the phonebook. But in the case of Mills, he manages to send shivers down my spine by singing something as dull as the binary code atop some moody, futuristic synths. ‘Zero, one, zero’ etc. has never sounded so utterly captivating and emotive, believe me.

I’m not such a fan of the funky, bluesy sequence that follows, although ‘Sir’ Russell Allen lends it a certain undeniable panache and swagger. There’s even time right at the death for Floor Jansen to lend her impressively huge vocal chords to see this opener out in rousing style. Had the entire record remained at this level, we’d have been staring down the barrel of a near-perfect score, it’s that good. In fact, I’d venture to suggest that it is one of Lucassen’s best under any of his various monikers.

Elsewhere, I’m a huge fan of ‘The Dream Dissolves’ with its killer lead guitar solo and the extended keyboard flamboyance. Aside from the aforementioned operatic section within ‘Deathcry of a Race’, it is a brilliant song thanks to its Middle Eastern melodies, heavy riffing and Zorgati’s distinctive vocals. And ‘Into The Ocean’ is a storming up-tempo rocker with overt 70s overtones created by the chosen keyboard sounds.

More heavy riffs and forceful drumming feature within the immediate and insanely catchy ‘Planet Y Is Alive!’ which evolves into something far more soundtrack-like and preposterously fun in the mid-section.

There are plenty more positives within this lengthy endeavour but for the sake of brevity, allow me to conclude with my joint-favourite piece, ‘Star Of Sirrah’. Heavy, melodic, over-the-top, this is Ayreon on top form. The song opens in moody but melodic and dramatic fashion with an acoustic guitar and bold synths before another huge, killer riff sweeps everything aside. It chugs and growls with real intent, complimenting all of the various vocalists who take a turn at delivering this part of the concept. If I had to nail my colours to the mast, I’d have to say that Nils K Rue offers the most compelling performance, closely followed by Tobi Sammet. It’s not a simple song by any means but it shows how superb Lucassen can be as a songwriter when he dials down the crazy and pens something a little more straightforward and rocking. Because boy does this track rock.

One of the nicest artists I’ve ever crossed path with is also one of the most openly insecure musicians in the business. Self-doubt riddles the psyche of Arjen Lucassen, something with which I can most definitely identify. The guy has an army of fans though and he always manages to attract great musicians to assist him with his music, so he must be doing something right. And there’s ‘The Source’ to further underline this conclusion. It might be a flawed record in places but regardless, ‘The Source’ is a triumph of which Lucassen should be rightly proud.

The Score Of Much Metal: 8.25

If you’ve enjoyed this review, you can check out my others from previous years and for 2017 right here:

2015 reviews
2016 reviews

Until Rain – Inure
MindMaze – Resolve
God Dethroned – The World Ablaze
Bjorn Riis – Forever Comes To An End
Voyager – Ghost Mile
Big Big Train – Grimspound
Lonely Robot – The Big Dream
Firespawn – The Reprobate
Ancient Ascendant
Pyramaze – Contingent
Shores Of Null – Black Drapes For Tomorrow
Asira – Efference
Hologram Earth – Black Cell Program
Damnations Day – A World Awakens
Memoriam – For The Fallen
Pallbearer – Heartless
Sleepmakeswaves – Made of Breath Only
Ghost Ship Octavius – Ghost Ship Octavius
Vangough – Warpaint
Telepathy – Tempest
Obituary – Obituary
Fen – Winter
Havok – Conformicide
Wolfheart – Tyhjyys
Svart Crown – Abreaction
Nova Collective – The Further Side
Immolation – Atonement
The Mute Gods – Tardigrades Will Inherit The Earth
Ex Deo – The Immortal Wars
Pyogenesis – A Kingdom To Disappear
My Soliloquy – Engines of Gravity
Nailed To Obscurity – King Delusion
Helion Prime – Helion Prime
Battle Beast – Bringer Of Pain
Persefone – Aathma
Soen – Lykaia
Exquirla – Para Quienes Aun Viven
Odd Logic – Effigy
Mors Principium Est – Embers Of A Dying World
Firewind – Immortals
Slyde – Back Again EP
Sepultura – Machine Messiah
Deserted Fear – Dead Shores Rising
Kreator – Gods Of Violence
Borealis – World of Silence MMXVII
Pain of Salvation – In The Passing Light of Day

Album of the Year 2016 – number 22

Welcome to day nine of my ‘Album of the Year 2016’ top 30 countdown. Are you all still with me? I certainly hope so.

If you have just discovered this blog or this particular series, please feel free to check out the previous entries – my picks for 23-30 can be found via the links at the bottom of this post, along with links to the previous years as well. It should keep you busy for a few hours I should think.

So far, this year’s list has contained everything from prog metal to melodeath and from thrash metal, to avant-garde black metal. What can I say? My tastes really do encompass most styles of heavy music and that’s firmly reflected by this list. And now today, you can add ‘melodic metal’ to the list as I give you my choice at number 22…

Number 22

 

Universal Mind Project
The Jaguar Priest
Inner Wound Recordings

 

“It is actually quite difficult to describe the musical output of Universal Mind Project succinctly because it features so many different elements. It is progressive, powerful, symphonic and highly melodic, almost veering into mainstream music territory on more than one occasion. There are dual male and female vocals plus a fair few extreme metal growls as well as demonstrably heavier moments that arguably belong more to the more extreme genres of metal than to anything else.

The list of guest musicians…is quite something too and includes Nils K Rue (Pagan’s Mind), Johan Reinholz (Andromeda), Mark Jansen (Epica, Mayan), Charlie Dominici (ex-Dream Theater), Emanuele Casali (DGM) and Diego Valdez (Helker).

Enhanced by a lyrical content that generally avoids genre clichés, striking cover artwork and a hugely impressive production…Universal Mind Project have delivered the full package. Remarkably consistent, hugely engaging and expertly crafted, it has come out of nowhere to blow me away.”

Read the full review here

Credit: unknown

OK, so Universal Mind Project have not quite made it into my top 10 as I suggested it might via my review earlier in the year. At the time, I had no idea just how strong the year was to be overall. Nevertheless, it is still an impressively strong release that deserves a place in this list without a shadow of doubt. It certainly came out of nowhere to make a huge impact, even more so given that this is the debut album under the Universal Mind Project moniker.

Every song delivers something just a little bit different, be it the involvement of a guest artist or an injection of greater prog or cinematic overtones. However, what nearly every song has in common with each other is that the quality is consistently very high and there is always a catchy melody or hook somewhere to grab me and pull me under its spell. In some ways, ‘The Jaguar Priest’ could be referred to as a ‘feel good’ album, an dose of superb, grandiose, over-the-top heavy metal that does one thing: puts a huge smile on my face. Oh, ok, two things: it also makes me bang my head and sing out loud too.

Is there anything else an album like this needs to do?

In case you’ve missed any of the other posts in the 2016 series, here they are for you to explore and enjoy:

Album of the Year 2016 – number 23
Album of the Year 2016 – number 24
Album of the Year 2016 – number 25
Album of the Year 2016 – number 26
Album of the Year 2016 – number 27
Album of the Year 2016 – number 28
Album of the Year 2016 – Number 29
Album of the Year 2016 – Number 30

And from previous years:

Album of the Year 2015
Album of the Year 2014
Album of the Year 2013
Album of the Year 2012

Epica – The Holographic Principle – Album Review

Artist: Epica

Album Title: The Holographic Principle

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Date Of Release: 30 September 2016

I’m nothing if not honest – ‘beauty and the beast’ symphonic metal is a genre that I have lost a lot on interest in. Subsequently, I’ve not been sufficiently invested in this seemingly saturated loose sub-genre order to follow the scene intently over the last few years.

However, Epica and I go back a number of years – they were one of the first bands that I met in the early days of my Powerplay career whilst undertaking my first press trip to the Nuclear Blast Headquarters in Donzdorf, around the release of ‘The Divine Conspiracy’ in 2007.

And whilst I have never classed myself as an out-and-out fan of Epica, I certainly admired what they were trying to do, namely offer something a little different from the hordes. Yes they have in their ranks a beautiful singer in the form of Simone Simons who duets with the growled male vocals of Mark Jansen and they like to pepper their music with lashings of keys and symphonic elements to make the compositions as grandiose and over-the-top as possible.

However, in addition, Epica have never been afraid of trying to inject other interesting elements into their songwriting. The output has always, to my mind at least, been harsher and heavier than most. The aforementioned growls are often quite savage-sounding and the guitar work does generally come across as having more bite and menace than others. Add to this a certain understated progressive element and a dramatic cinematic depth and you can begin to see why Epica are so highly rated by many within the heavy metal community.

Having almost entirely missed the last two releases, I come to album number seven with fresh ears and I have to say that right off the bat, I have been left impressed by the sheer scope of this record. The above-mentioned elements all exist from before and there is no doubt as to the intent of the sextet, as ‘The Holographic Principle’ bristles and sparkles like a giant film score to an unknown blockbuster that apparently questions whether we live in a real world or whether our existence is intertwined with some alternate reality.

Opener is a classic intro piece, cinematic and bombastic in scope, an exercise in building a sense of anticipation and tension. It ebbs and flows nicely but if I’m honest, it does little except set the scene for what is to come. It is nice enough but I find myself generally skipping it to get to the meat of the album.

The album starts properly with ‘Edge Of The Blade’ which is a nice starter for ten. With a catchy chorus, plenty of orchestration from ivory-tinkler Coen Janssen, some strong riffs from guitarists Mark Jansen and Isaac Delahaye and the unmistakeable vocals of Simons and Jansen, it is a bombastic and up-tempo composition that grows with repeated listens. ‘A Phantasmic Parade’ follows and is equally as entertaining. Again the guitars crunch and the rhythm section comprised of drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek and bassist Rob van der Loo gallops along at a fair lick. The melodies are memorable too. However, the track is dominated by the symphonics and the vocals which give the song much of its impetus.

The scene has been set and the album then follows a broadly similar pattern for the remaining nine tracks, with bombast and pomp the watchwords throughout.

And, if I’m honest, this is where the problem lies with ‘The Holographic Principle’ and with symphonic metal in general. As dramatic as the opening couple of tracks are, and as grandiose as the whole album is, it doesn’t take too long for the sheen to wear off and for me personally to lose a little bit of interest. Although I have no doubt that Epica are giving their all to create the best material of their lives, it just doesn’t unfortunately equate into a body of work that I feel compelled to listen to time after time.

That said, I love the melodic chorus, huge choirs and the crescendo of ‘Divide And Conquer’, which is a real anthem of huge proportions. I also find ‘Once Upon A Nightmare’ to be a wonderful listening experience. It might be a ballad but I’ve never disliked a really well-executed ballad and here, that’s exactly what we get. It begins with a sombre classical introduction that conveys real emotion and is carried by a sublime performance from Simons. It takes time to erupt but when it does, it does so gratifyingly to complete a top quality piece of music.

Then there’s the ludicrously named ‘The Holographic Principle – A Profound Understanding of Reality’ which has a much lengthier, progressive feel to it that I quite like.

I have absolutely no doubt that ‘The Holographic Principle’ will stand at the top of the symphonic metal tree come the end of the year. Blessed with a slick production, moments of real brilliance and enough bombast to flatten a small village, there will be a huge number of fans delighted by this release and rightly so. For me, though, it doesn’t set my world alight quite enough and I’m left wishing that Epica had been braver and experimented with their sound just a little more. Or maybe I’m just a hard man to please?

The Score Of Much Metal: 7.0

If you’ve enjoyed this review, check out my others via my reviews pages or by clicking the links right here:

Amaranthe – Maximalism
Eye Of Solitude – Cenotaph
Seven Impale – Contrapasso
DGM – The Passage
Pressure Points – False Lights
In The Woods – Pure
Devin Townsend – Transcendence
The Pineapple Thief – Your Wilderness
Evergrey – The Storm Within
Dream The Electric Sleep – Beneath The Dark Wide Sky
Periphery – ‘Periphery III: Select Difficulty’
Karmakanic – Dot
Novena – Secondary Genesis
Witherscape – The Northern Sanctuary
Eric Gillette – The Great Unknown
Tilt – Hinterland
Cosmograf – The Unreasonable Silence
Fates Warning – Theories Of Flight
Wolverine – Machina Viva
Be’lakor – Vessels
Lacuna Coil – Delirium
Big Big Train – Folklore
Airbag – Disconnected
Katatonia – The Fall Of Hearts
Frost* – Falling Satellites
Glorior Belli – Sundown (The Flock That Welcomes)
Habu – Infinite
Grand Magus ‘Sword Songs’
Messenger – Threnodies
Svoid – Storming Voices Of Inner Devotion
Fallujah – Dreamless
In Mourning – Afterglow
Haken – Affinity
Long Distance Calling – Trips
October Tide – Winged Waltz
Odd Logic – Penny For Your Thoughts
Iron Mountain – Unum
Knifeworld – Bottled Out Of Eden
Novembre – Ursa
Beholder – Reflections
Neverworld – Dreamsnatcher
Universal Mind Project – The Jaguar Priest
Thunderstone – Apocalypse Again
InnerWish – Innerwish
Mob Rules – Tales From Beyond
Ghost Bath – Moonlover
Spiritual Beggars – Sunrise To Sundown
Oceans Of Slumber – Winter
Rikard Zander – I Can Do Without Love
Redemption – The Art Of Loss
Headspace – All That You Fear Is Gone
Chris Quirarte – Mending Broken Bridges
Sunburst – Fragments Of Creation
Inglorious – Inglorious
Omnium Gatherum – Grey Heavens
Structural Disorder – Distance
Votum – Ktonik
Fleshgod Apocalypse – King
Rikard Sjoblom – The Unbendable Sleep
Textures – Phenotype
Serenity – Codex Atlanticus
Borknagar – Winter Thrice
The Mute Gods – Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
Brainstorm – Scary Creatures
Arcade Messiah – II
Phantasma – The Deviant Hearts
Rendezvous Point – Solar Storm
Vanden Plas – Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld II
Antimatter – The Judas Table
Bauda – Sporelights
Waken Eyes – Exodus
Earthside – A Dream In Static
Caligula’s Horse – Bloom
Teramaze – Her Halo
Amorphis – Under The Red Cloud
Spock’s Beard – The Oblivion Particle
Agent Fresco – Destrier
Cattle Decapitation – The Anthropocene Extinction
Between The Buried And Me – Coma Ecliptic
Cradle Of Filth – Hammer Of The Witches
Disarmonia Mundi – Cold Inferno
District 97 – In Vaults
Progoctopus – Transcendence
Big Big Train – Wassail
NightMare World – In The Fullness Of Time
Helloween – My God-Given Right
Triaxis – Zero Hour
Isurus – Logocharya
Arcturus – Arcturian
Kamelot – Haven
Native Construct – Quiet World
Sigh – Graveward
Pantommind – Searching For Eternity
Subterranean Masquerade – The Great Bazaar
Klone – Here Comes The Sun
The Gentle Storm – The Diary
Melechesh – Enki
Enslaved – In Times
Keep Of Kalessin – Epistemology
Lonely Robot – Please Come Home
The Neal Morse Band – The Grand Experiment
Zero Stroke – As The Colours Seep
AudioPlastik – In The Head Of A Maniac
Revolution Saints – Revolution Saints
Mors Principium Est – Dawn of The 5th Era
Arcade Messiah – Arcade Messiah
Triosphere – The Heart Of The Matter
Neonfly – Strangers In Paradise
Knight Area – Hyperdrive
Haken – Restoration
James LaBrie – Impermanent Resonance
Mercenary – Through Our Darkest Days
A.C.T. – Circus Pandemonium
Xerath – III
Big Big Train – English Electric (Part 1)
Thought Chamber – Psykerion
Marcus Jidell – Pictures From A Time Traveller
H.E.A.T – Tearing Down The Walls
Vanden Plas – Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld

Universal Mind Project – The Jaguar Priest

Artist: Universal Mind Project

Album Title: The Jaguar Priest

Label: Inner Wound Recordings

Date Of Release: 29 April 2016

It is one thing to be impressed by an album from a band that you’re familiar with but one of the best feelings when reviewing music is being absolutely bowled over by a band that you knew nothing about prior to being invited to check out the promo. And this is exactly the feeling I have got from Universal Mind Project and their debut album, ‘The Jaguar Priest’. Mind you, given the clientele involved, I’m at a loss to understand why I hadn’t got this release firmly on my radar earlier.

Universal Mind Project was conceived by guitarist Michael Alexander and began life in 2012. Since then, Alexander has managed to pull together an impressive group of musicians which form the nucleus of Universal Mind Project and transform it from a project to a fully-fledged band. Joining Alexander are vocalists Henrik Bath (Darkwater) and Elina Laivera as well as drummer Alex Landenburg (Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody).

The list of guest musicians that join this core quartet is quite something too and includes Nils K Rue (Pagan’s Mind), Johan Reinholz (Andromeda), Mark Jansen (Epica, Mayan), Charlie Dominici (ex-Dream Theater), Emanuele Casali (DGM) and Diego Valdez (Helker). Is your mouth watering? It ought to be. But, as we all know, all the famous names in the world cannot guarantee a quality finished product if the music itself is not up to the requisite standard. In the case of Universal Mind Project however, it is clear before the opening track finishes that this will not be a problem and that this is an album to be reckoned with.

It is actually quite difficult to describe the musical output of Universal Mind Project succinctly because it features so many different elements. It is progressive, powerful, symphonic and highly melodic, almost veering into mainstream music territory on more than one occasion. There are dual male and female vocals plus a fair few extreme metal growls as well as demonstrably heavier moments that arguably belong more to the more extreme genres of metal than to anything else.

If you’re thinking that this all sound like it could result in a messy album, I agree; on paper, it shouldn’t really work. And yet it does. Moreover, it works really, really well, much to the credit of Alexander and Laivera, the primary song writers on this album.

Kicking things off is the prog-tinged power metal-meets-melodic hard rock swagger of ‘Anthem For Freedom’. It is dominated by tinkling keys and rich synths courtesy of DGM’s Casali as well as the duel vocals of Bath and Laivera who are both really suited to each other and to the surrounding composition. It’s a highly melodic affair with a really catchy chorus but it also has a heavier edge thanks to the injection of a few gruff vocals later in the piece.

Credit: unknown

‘Truth’ follows and is, if anything even better. The opening keyboard melody is brilliant, underpinned by the rumbling bass of Mike LePond but is soon replaced by a verse that features more gruff vocals and a stop-start chugging rhythm guitar riff. The chorus, almost at odds to the aggressive verse is magical, led by a return of the opening synth melody and some angelic, soaring vocals from Laivera. If you enjoy hook-laden choruses, this is like manna from heaven.

But just when you think that things can’t continue at such a high level, you’re proved wrong time and again. ‘The Bargain Of Lost Souls’ features Nils K. Rue of Pagan’s Mind on lead vocals and, as such, there are big parallels to the vocalist’s day job. Meaty chugging riffs, energetic lead duels between the keyboards and guitars, as well as another anthemic chorus dominate a track that’s darker in tone and markedly more progressive than the opening two songs.

‘Dreamstate’ on the other hand begins in commanding fashion with more heavy riffing and plenty of Mark Jansen’s growled vocals. But then, out of nowhere comes a chorus so smooth and catchy that it is almost AOR-like. It is a surprising and clever juxtaposition that gives the entire track more depth, character and drama than it would otherwise have.

I must admit that I’m unaware of Diego Valdez and his principal band Helker but he gives a great performance on ‘Awakened By The Light (Universal Mind)’, full of passion and power. It is a slightly longer track and one of the more progressive in terms of its construction and numerous different segments. Nevertheless, hooks and melodies are never far away and, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, it features a hugely memorable chorus of sorts that gets lodged in your head immediately.

‘A World That Burns’ is principally a piano and vocal track that is heartbreakingly beautiful. It is an elegant and sensitive composition that allows Laivera to really showcase her considerable skills. So strong is her performance and the accompanying melodies that what would normally be a skip-over track is essential and majestic.

For the sake of brevity, I will reluctantly cease my track-by-track narrative and instead just mention the title track. It is the longest composition on the record and also the most overtly progressive. It begins with a spoken word intro before encompassing just about everything that’s so great about this album into one epic track; atmosphere, clever riffs, copious keyboard and guitar leads, fantastic vocals including a guest appearance from Charlie Dominici and, dare I say it, more hook-laden and cheesy grin-inducing melodies that are addictive and lead to frequent repeated listens.

Enhanced by a lyrical content that generally avoids genre clichés, striking cover artwork and a hugely impressive production courtesy of Simone Mularoni (Vision Divine, DGM) at Domination Studios, Universal Mind Project have delivered the full package. Remarkably consistent, hugely engaging and expertly crafted, it has come out of nowhere to blow me away. As such, ‘The Jaguar Priest’ has ‘end of year top 10’ written all over it. Superb.

The Score Of Much Metal: 9.25

If you’ve enjoyed this review, check out my others right here:

Thunderstone – Apocalypse Again
InnerWish – Innerwish
Mob Rules – Tales From Beyond
Ghost Bath – Moonlover
Spiritual Beggars – Sunrise To Sundown
Oceans Of Slumber – Winter
Rikard Zander – I Can Do Without Love
Redemption – The Art Of Loss
Headspace – All That You Fear Is Gone
Chris Quirarte – Mending Broken Bridges
Sunburst – Fragments Of Creation
Inglorious – Inglorious
Omnium Gatherum – Grey Heavens
Structural Disorder – Distance
Votum – Ktonik
Fleshgod Apocalypse – King
Rikard Sjoblom – The Unbendable Sleep
Textures – Phenotype
Serenity – Codex Atlanticus
Borknagar – Winter Thrice
The Mute Gods – Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
Brainstorm – Scary Creatures
Arcade Messiah – II
Phantasma – The Deviant Hearts
Rendezvous Point – Solar Storm
Vanden Plas – Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld II
Antimatter – The Judas Table
Bauda – Sporelights
Waken Eyes – Exodus
Earthside – A Dream In Static
Caligula’s Horse – Bloom
Teramaze – Her Halo
Amorphis – Under The Red Cloud
Spock’s Beard – The Oblivion Particle
Agent Fresco – Destrier
Cattle Decapitation – The Anthropocene Extinction
Between The Buried And Me – Coma Ecliptic
Cradle Of Filth – Hammer Of The Witches
Disarmonia Mundi – Cold Inferno
District 97 – In Vaults
Progoctopus – Transcendence
Big Big Train – Wassail
NightMare World – In The Fullness Of Time
Helloween – My God-Given Right
Triaxis – Zero Hour
Isurus – Logocharya
Arcturus – Arcturian
Kamelot – Haven
Native Construct – Quiet World
Sigh – Graveward
Pantommind – Searching For Eternity
Subterranean Masquerade – The Great Bazaar
Klone – Here Comes The Sun
The Gentle Storm – The Diary
Melechesh – Enki
Enslaved – In Times
Keep Of Kalessin – Epistemology
Lonely Robot – Please Come Home
The Neal Morse Band – The Grand Experiment
Zero Stroke – As The Colours Seep
AudioPlastik – In The Head Of A Maniac
Revolution Saints – Revolution Saints
Mors Principium Est – Dawn of The 5th Era
Arcade Messiah – Arcade Messiah
Triosphere – The Heart Of The Matter
Neonfly – Strangers In Paradise
Knight Area – Hyperdrive
Haken – Restoration
James LaBrie – Impermanent Resonance
Mercenary – Through Our Darkest Days
A.C.T. – Circus Pandemonium
Xerath – III
Big Big Train – English Electric (Part 1)
Thought Chamber – Psykerion
Marcus Jidell – Pictures From A Time Traveller
H.E.A.T – Tearing Down The Walls
Vanden Plas – Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld

Kamelot – Haven – Album Review

Artist: Kamelot

Album Title: Haven

Label: Napalm Records

Year Of Release: 2015

If I look back around 10-15 years, I had one go-to band for melodic metal: Kamelot. Their albums ‘Karma’ (2001) and ‘Epica’ (2003) remain firm favourites in my collection. The former was actually discovered via a trip to my favourite record store many years ago – it was playing in the background and before the completion of ‘Forever’, the second track, I was sold. There began a love affair with the American-based metallers, led by the charismatic vocalist Roy Khan and the compositional strength of guitarist Thomas Youngblood.

However, over the years, my interest has gradually waned. One reason for this has been, in my eyes at least, a run of albums that have not fully fired my enthusiasm. The departure of Khan a few years ago naturally didn’t help, particularly given the fact that his voice became such an integral ingredient of Kamelot’s success. But more than that, I felt, as a somewhat biased fan that wanted to love everything, that they were in danger of just going through the motions. Fair or unfair, it was my perception.

This perception has not been helped over the last few years either by the actions of their more direct competitors. Suddenly, albums like ‘War Of Ages’ from Austria’s Serenity or ‘Distant Is the Sun’ from Australia’s Vanishing Point really upped the ante and delivered stormingly strong material. To be perfectly honest, Kamelot were no longer my ‘go-to’ melodic metal band.

Even the introduction of one of my favourite metal vocalists, the supremely talented Tommy Karevik of Seventh Wonder didn’t initially help. Previous album, 2012’s ‘Silverthorn’, once again fell flat in my opinion, with Karevik sounding far too much like a Khan clone for my liking. Nevertheless, the name Kamelot still gets me interested and so when ‘Haven’ was announced, I was keen to hear it.

The really great and thoroughly welcome news is that ‘Haven’ is definitely a quality album and much more of a return to form. It follows the tried and trusted Kamelot blueprint but in many ways it feels like a lot of the fire is back in the collective belly, meaning the material is stronger as a result. There are very few genuine surprises throughout but instead there’s a feeling that the band are once again playing to their strengths that were more present around the turn of the millennium.

There’s never been a question over Youngblood’s song writing prowess. Let’s be honest, anyone who can pen a track like ‘Forever’ or ‘Center Of The Universe’ knows what they are doing. With ‘Haven’, he picks up where he left off in the early noughties and once again delivers a set of songs that are big on melody, contain hooks galore, are full-blooded in terms of their tempo and intent and contain a lot of head-bang-worthy riffs. Youngblood is seemingly a master at writing memorable lead guitar lines and soaring lead solos and there are plenty of these to be heard throughout, as well as a punchier and dirtier guitar tone that adds a really nice crunch to the music. The oft-maligned Casey Grillo once again displays his undeniable professionalism, laying down a generally mid-tempo but powerful pounding beat, ably assisted by bassist Sean Tibbetts. Together they are the unsung workhorses of the band. Keyboardist Oliver Palotai adds a richness and depth to the compositions, flitting between the unobtrusive and the downright pompous as and when the music demands.

Picture courtesy of: Tim Kronckoe

Pleasingly on this album, the peerless Tommy Karevik has apparently broken out of Khan’s shackles and more often than ever before, he actually sounds like himself. From the moment he was unveiled as the new vocalist, I wondered how Karevik would fit into a Kamelot-type band that has very defined perameters. With Seventh Wonder, he could arguably use his impressive and effortless range to greater effect and, based on ‘Silverthorn’, my scepticism was partially vindicated. With ‘Haven’ however, there are many more occasions where he sounds like himself, such as on ‘Veil Of Elysium’. Once again, Karevik laces his performance with plenty of emotion and its a real boon for Kamelot having him on board.

In terms of the lyrical content, ‘Haven’ is the first time that Kamelot have all but abandoned their concept approach, this time favouring an album comprised of stand-alone tracks that don’t necessarily follow a particular thread. There’s still a great deal of the usual Gothic-tinged imagery on display, as is the Kamelot way, but each song stands on its own feet lyrically.

Other album highlights are rather plentiful. The album kicks off in full overblown theatrical style where Palotai lets his symphonics lend a lush and dramatic backdrop to a track that is both heavy and truly epic in scope despite only lasting around the five-minute mark. ‘Insomnia’ features a hook-laden chorus that’s genuinely addictive. Then there’s the full-on ballad ‘Under Grey Skies’ which begins slowly but which explodes into a stunning crescendo, complete with guest vocals from Delain’s Charlotte Wessels. I was underwhelmed on a first listen but with time it has blossomed into one of the best tracks on the record. ‘My Therapy’ offers a monster sing-along chorus whereas ‘Beautiful Apocalypse’ features an interesting and compelling central melody, surrounded by some really great riffs and lead embellishments, along with a hint of the Middle East. ‘Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)’ is classic Kamelot, full of power, intensity and a gargantuan chorus that’s both massively melodic and heavy, thanks in part to some impressive double-pedal drumming. But in a twist, the track also features the savage deathly growls of Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), something that further enhances an already great track in my opinion.

But, a word of caution: it’s not all positive. There are a few moments on this record where the quality, in my opinion, dips and I lose a bit of interest. The dreaded ‘going through the motions’ description hovers very close to my lips, something that’s so frustrating given the overall positive nature of this record. I also believe that there is the odd occasion where Karevik reverts to ‘Khan’ mode such as within the slightly sub-par ‘Citizen Zero’.

If it sounds like I’m being picky, it’ because I am. A band like Kamelot should be a genre leader and untouchable; they’ve done it in the past, so there’s no reason why they cannot reclaim their crown. In short, ‘Haven’ is a thoroughly positive album and definitely my favourite for some time. Big strides have been made in terms of the quality, consistency and hunger on display. As such, I really enjoy listening to it. However, does ‘Haven’ once again make Kamelot my go-to melodic metal band? I’m not sure. I guess only time will tell. All I can say is that the more I listen, the more I like ‘Haven’ and the more I gradually take it to my heart.

The Score Of Much Metal: 8.0

If you’ve enjoyed this review, check out my others right here:

Native Construct – Quiet World
Sigh – Graveward
Pantommind – Searching For Eternity
Subterranean Masquerade – The Great Bazaar
Klone – Here Comes The Sun
The Gentle Storm – The Diary
Melechesh – Enki
Enslaved – In Times
Keep Of Kalessin – Epistemology
Lonely Robot – Please Come Home
The Neal Morse Band – The Grand Experiment
Zero Stroke – As The Colours Seep
AudioPlastik – In The Head Of A Maniac
Revolution Saints – Revolution Saints
Mors Principium Est – Dawn of The 5th Era
Arcade Messiah – Arcade Messiah
Triosphere – The Heart Of The Matter
Neonfly – Strangers In Paradise
Knight Area – Hyperdrive
Haken – Restoration
James LaBrie – Impermanent Resonance
Mercenary – Through Our Darkest Days
A.C.T. – Circus Pandemonium
Xerath – III
Big Big Train – English Electric (Part 1)
Thought Chamber – Psykerion
Marcus Jidell – Pictures From A Time Traveller
H.E.A.T – Tearing Down The Walls
Vanden Plas – Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld

Heavy Metal Is Not Just ‘Shouty’ Music – Part 2 – The Female Voices

I received some great feedback to my original post entitled ‘Heavy metal is not just ‘shouty’ music’ but a few people criticised it for one important reason: my post only featured male vocalists. This was in no way deliberate and, to underline this point, I have decided to write a second post that puts some of the best female vocalists in rock and metal under the spotlight.

Putting this blog post together was more difficult than I thought it would be for a number of reasons. Firstly, when I sat down to write this article, I realised that that there are a lot more female vocalists in heavy metal than I thought. Secondly, I realised that I don’t listen to nearly enough music with female vocalists as I should. Shame on me.

The result is a very personal list that mentions those artists who have impressed me over time and more recently; the singers that genuinely stand out to me and offer something different.

Naturally, there will be those of you reading this that are greater aficionados of female-fronted heavy music (if you can even pigeon-hole it all into such a tidy niche) that will vehemently disagree with my choices. But hey, that’s good – tell me who I’ve missed and why…maybe I could then write a supplementary blog once I’ve fully explored your suggestions.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, here’s my list of current favourite female vocalists in heavy music…

Lee Douglas

Caroline Traitler Photography

Anathema are in no way a female-fronted band; however they are a band that has within their ranks of late, a female vocalist in the form of Lee Douglas who is very special indeed. Mind you, that’s a bit of an understatement borne out of the fact that I find it hard to put into words how deeply Lee’s vocals affect me. I’m not sure that there’s another voice out there in any genre who can convey such emotion and touch me so deeply. Lee’s voice is elegant, graceful, beautiful, fragile, angelic and timeless.

Cristina Scabbia

Ms Scabbia had to feature in this list because I’ve been a fan of hers and of Lacuna Coil from just about the very beginning. To be entirely accurate, Lacuna Coil feature dual vocalists and the interplay between them is what makes the band so interesting. That said, Cristina’s voice never ceases to impress me. It is full of power and attitude when required but it possesses a silky-smooth quality with an unmistakable Mediterranean flavour that frequently sends chills down my spine.

Tarja Turunen

One of the original and best, Tarja Turunen is a rare talent. Bursting into the conscious of metal fans the world over with Nightwish, Tarja’s classically-trained operatic delivery forced just about everyone to stop and listen. Note perfect, emotionally charged and possessing a deceptive strength, Tarja’s voice remains instantly recognisable. Not content to tread water, Tarja, as a solo artist primarily, continues to push her vocal talents to new, ever impressive heights.

Anneke van Giersbergen

Picture by: Bullet-Ray

I remember discovering Anneke van Giersbergen via the seminal The Gathering album, ‘Mandylion’ and, since then, I have been thoroughly smitten whether as a solo artist or more recently in conjunction with Devin Townsend or Arjen Lucassen. Anneke’s range is impressive and is capable of enhancing just about any kind of composition, from genres as diverse as Gothic metal, prog rock or even folk. Anneke’s delivery sounds so effortless and has a beautifully delicate, haunting quality to it that I adore.

Floor Jansen

Photo: Tim Tronckoe photography

The sheer power of Floor Jansen’s voice is frightening. However, more frightening is her versatility as she is able to deliver a classical soprano one minute and then revert to an out-and-out rock voice the next. Whatever the style, Floor is note perfect, confident and completely convincing, to the point that whilst I was never a huge fan of After Forever or ReVamp, I listened because of Floor. She may also be the much-needed saviour of Nightwish, although time will tell on that score.

Agnete M. Kirkevaag

The delivery of Madder Mortem vocalist Agnete M. Kirkevaag won’t be to everyone’s taste and neither will their music either. Nevertheless, if there’s one female vocalist that has the ability to surprise, delight and confound in equal measure, in my opinion it has to be Agnete. Blessed with an impressive range and the guts to try anything, the result occasionally borders on the discordant and uncomfortable. However, this is juxtaposed almost schizophrenically with some really subtly beautiful quiet melodic passages when required.

Julie Kiss

Photo: Gothicman

It takes a special vocalist to enhance and bring a certain amount of immediacy to a complex and technical form of jazz-influenced progressive metal. However, that’s exactly what Julie Kiss succeeds in doing. Her soothing and serene tone for the most part is coupled with a knack of creating unusual yet thoroughly engaging melodies to the point that the listener becomes enthralled and mesmerised by the end result.

Elize Ryd

Photo Andreas Amberg

Not content with two male vocalists, Amaranthe also boast within their armoury one of my favourite female vocalists, Elize Ryd. Frankly, most pop singers could learn a thing or two from Ms Ryd given that she clearly understands how to consistently deliver addictive hooks and melodies via a potent voice. What’s more impressive is that her seductive tone has the range to be believable both atop catchy pop-like choruses or as a direct counterpoint to a full-on metal assault.

Krissie Kirby

Full of power and attitude, Triaxis’ vocalist Krissie Kirby is a force to be reckoned with and, as such, is without doubt one of my favourite female vocalists in heavy metal. It’s rare for a thrash metal band to be spearheaded by a female voice, but Krissie sounds perfect in the role, matching the scything riffs and heavy rhythm section blow for blow. And on several occasions, thanks to a great blend of melody and brute force, the impressive-lunged Krissie helps to take an already excellent Triaxis to a whole new level.

Simone Simons

What I like most about Epica’s Simone Simons is the variety and versatility in her vocal delivery. On the one hand, Simone is happy to project her rich, classical, operatic voice but then with little or no apparent effort, can switch to a more straight-up rock approach. And when the tempo slows, the softness and delicacy of Simone’s voice comes to the fore, in stark contrast to the growled male vocals with which she frequently duets. The fact that she is still so young means she can only get even better; what a wonderful thought.

Intros, Outros and Instrumental Interludes…yes or no?

Ever since I began to listen to rock and metal some twenty years ago now, I have been delighted by and frustrated by a particular phenomenon…the instrumental interlude. Most of the time, these pieces of music are used as an introduction to an album or as a closer. Often, instrumentals act as book-ends, both opening and closing an album and frequently, they can be found littering albums at various points.

I’m not aware of many other genres of music employing this ‘technique’, if you can call it that and yet, rock and metal is riddled with it. In fact, there are certain genres (black metal for example) where it comes as a shock to the system when an album opens up with a blast beat or a shriek rather than a more soothing symphonic refrain courtesy of the resident keyboardist or, if the budget allows, a real orchestra.

But, the question remains – are instrumental intros, outros and interludes a waste of time or do they serve a genuine purpose?

The answer, as always, depends on the quality that is being offered. Some albums are rubbish and no amount of clever, atmospheric, challenging or downright weird pieces of music will save them. Sometimes, an instrumental piece will be an exercise in padding, to bulk out a shortfall in worthwhile material whilst others serve a better purpose, acting as introductions, bridges or narration to that very metal of inventions, the concept album.

Personally, if the piece of music is well-written and is not just a throw-away composition, I tend to be a fan of them. But, if they serve no logical purpose or if they simply don’t add anything of value to the album, I’d rather they were removed. For example, I don’t get those 20-second sections of noise that masquerade as an intro as they tend to start the album on a negative footing. Neither do I enjoy the inevitable disruption in flow when something similar pops up in the middle of a record. Nevertheless, as foibles go, I can generally cope with this one from the rock and metal scene.

But it wouldn’t be the same without a few examples, so here are a few of the best and worst that the scene has to offer in my opinion:

The bad

Type O Negative – I love Type O Negative. Not seeing them live is one of my biggest music-related regrets. And yet, their albums delight and annoy in equal measure. Both ‘Bloody Kisses’ and ‘October Rust’ are firm favourites of mine but both contain no less than three of these instrumental interludes, all of which are, in my opinion, an utter waste of time. Admittedly they don’t last long and are quickly forgotten but if that’s the case, what’s the point?

In the case of ‘Bloody Kisses’, the album opens with ‘Machine Screw’ which is comprised of a woman moaning over a backdrop of a whining industrial noise whilst ‘Fay Wray Come Out and Play’ is a minute-long chant with howling wolves in the background.

‘October Rust’ on the other hand, doesn’t offer listeners anything closely resembling a song until track three. The album opens with ‘Bad Ground’, 30 seconds of an indeciperable noise before leading into an untitled track which is the band thanking fans for buying the album. It’s a nice enough touch but I question it’s necessity on the album.

Kamelot – Another band that I have liked for many years but who fall foul of the ‘pointless intro and interlude’ category. Their otherwise fantastic album ‘Epica’ for example features no less than five instrumental interludes and I’m hard-pressed to understand any of them. The band and die-hard fans will perhaps argue that they maintain an ebb and flow to the album but the fact remains that none of them are memorable or particularly interesting and I could happily live without them. I liken them to annoying advert breaks in the middle of your favourite TV show.

But arguably worse than this are the three interludes within ‘The Black Halo’, none of which contain anything that I would call music. Instead they’re just film-like excerpts within the album. Only one word required: skip.

There are, no doubt, a ton of other examples of poor or unnecessary instrumentals but these two culprits immediately spring to mind

The good

Bal Sagoth – ‘Black Dragons Soar Above The Mountain Of Shadows’

If ever there was an instrumental opener designed to get the blood pumping, this is it. Performed exclusively by keyboards, this is pure sci-fi fantasy music. It could easily be the soundtrack to your favourite fantasy novel such is it’s pomposity and grandiosity – personally, I picture Sparhawk, the hero in David Eddings’ ‘The Elenium’ and ‘The Tamuli’ trilogies astride his trusty steed on the edge of a windswept cliff as I listen. But I digress…

The minute I heard this instrumental opening, I knew I was going to enjoy Bal Sagoth. It is completely in keeping with the excesses on display throughout the remainder of the album and therefore gives listeners an gentle insight into the barbarian metal that is to follow. A great album overall, opened up by a fantastic instrumental piece.

In Flames – The Jester’s Dance

In a slight change of pace, this instrumental does not open up ‘The Jester Race’, but instead sits in the track two position. This classic melodic death metal album begins with the brilliant ‘Moonshield’ before giving way to this beautiful two-minute instrumental. As mentioned in a previouds post, I discovered this album via a Spanish friend at University on a beaten-up old cassette tape. At first I was not sure about my first taste of melodic death metal. However, I loved this instrumental piece from the get-go and it gave me the incentive I needed to keep listening. Witout ‘The Jester Dance’ with it’s juxtaposition of sublime guitar melodies, galloping bass line and heavy riffing, I might not have got into this genre at the time and my musical development may have taken a completely different tack.

At The Gates – The Flames Of The End

What better way to round out a near-perfect and genre-defining album than with a sensational outro. With ‘Slaughter of the Soul’, At The Gates created what is regarded by many as the melodic death metal album, the album from which all else came and the one that is lauded as the creator of the melodic death metal scene now known as ‘The gothernburg sound’.

Aside from the massive opening track, it is the outro instrumental that I enjoy most on this album. The track builds wonderfully beginning with quietly and slowly, led initially by synths before being joined by a simple drum beat. And then, at the half-way mark, the guitars come in. First with a cool distorted riff and then all hell breaks loose. The riff continues but this time is overlaid with some awesome guitar feedback effects. It is a solo of sorts but all done through the medium of distortion feedback and it sounds epic. If you’ve never heard this instrumental, you’ve missed out.

Dimmu Borgir – Det nye riket

If I’m being honest, the debut album from one of the most well-known extreme metal bands was pretty average. The compositions are not that inspiring and, in terms of black metal, the music is very much in keeping with the genre at that time. The budget, as you’d expect from a debut album, must have been small as the production and artwork left a lot to be desired.

And yet, the album opens with one of the most memorable and fantastic instrumentals that I have in my ever-increasing collection. Spanning over five minutes, it is a relatively long opening salvo but it immediately grabbed me and I listen to it on a regular basis. In addition to the simple, slow-paced melodies and faux-orchestral synth work, what makes this track even more special is the spoken-word section towards the end. The Norwegian language has never sounded so mysterious and downright ominous.