Katatonia - Sky Void Of Stars (Napalm Records) [Dr Claire Hanley]
Unlucky for some but not for lovers of all things doom and gloom, Katatonia return with their 13th full length record. Cultivating their sound over three decades, the band have developed a winning formula for atmospheric anthems. Always at the intersection between light and dark, the Swedish 5-piece arguably hold the monopoly on melancholy, and Sky Void Of Stars is no exception.
Dynamic, jazz-laden drum patterns and asynchronous timings automatically grip the listener in Austerity. Switching between upbeat sections to those laced with anguish, it’s a real identity crisis of a track (in the best way), featuring some killer Opeth-esque Watershed era guitar riffs. Colossal Shade offers up more of a straightforward marching rhythm, punctuated by expertly positioned guitar accents, and Opaline possesses an exquisite goosebumps-generating rise and fall that sends the sympathetic nervous system into overdrive. Transcending further into the light, Birds is an epic track with some serious momentum, seemingly raising spirits before plummeting back into the murky depths with Drab Moon and its hauntingly hopeless vocals.
As much as I enjoyed the earlier tracks, with their emphasis on the energetic, the mid-section of the record is where the magic is. Beautifully bleak, the purveyors of pessimism have done it again. The sheer weight of tracks Author Impermanence, and Sclera leave you exhausted and filled with the futility of being. Spine-tinglingly sorrowful solos, dramatic delays, and harsh drum accents add to the perceived levels of discomfort, such that you feel the energy is being leeched from you with each passing note. It’s a truly visceral experience that few bands manage to master.
Alas, what felt like a gradual descent into the dark is almost too rapidly reversed with Atrium, which is somewhat of a vibe killer. Despite meshing with the opening tracks, it stands in stark contrast to its immediate predecessors, and I personally could have wallowed for a lot longer. Although the ominous, moody atmosphere is somewhat restored during No Beacon To Illuminate Our Fall and Absconder (Mediabook Bonus Track), by this point the ambience had sustained irreversible damage.
In isolation, Sky Void Of Stars is an impressive record and undoubtedly well worth a listen. However, as an avid Katatonia fan, you can’t help but compare it to what has gone before. While there are some stand-out tracks, it feels less coherent than their previous albums and with such a strong discography under their belts I’m not entirely convinced it’s a noteworthy addition. 7/10
Symphonic power metal with heavy classical influences, virtuoso performances and high-pitched wailing vocals. How about lyrics focused on a fantastical concept devised by the band? The odd ten-minute epic sprinkled in amongst shorter, punchy sing-alongs that are no less cinematic? Hammy narration and voice acting? You’d naturally be forgiven for thinking I was talking about Rhapsody/Rhapsody Of Fire/Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody/Rhapsody found in a dumpster by someone that heard their lonely cries. I know this sounds awfully mocking, but Twilight Force really do a fabulous update of classic Rhapsody.
This, the fourth album from the Swedish group, really gets at what made that original burst of symphonic power metal so delightful, the full bombast and earnestness that brings a stupid grin to your face. Twilight Force kicks things of style, the band’s own Emerald Sword, a four-minute gallop bursting with vocal melodies, orchestral flourishes and top solo wankery. As an opening salvo and, more bravely, an eponymous titled track it serves as a fabulous mission statement.
The title track follows, a less frenetic but no less enjoyable track opening with baroque pomposity as bass drums underscore the guitar rhythm and string section, before bursting into a soaring lead. The track is driven along by sharp shards of precise riffing and flavoured with choral outbursts. At one point I found myself laughing because of just how much I was enjoying myself.
Highlands Of The Elder Dragon is the first of two ten-minute tracks, beginning with a creepy uncle narrating the story before launching into that sturdy gallop again. Delivering one of the more controlled vocal performances of the album, here we see more reaching for the middle registers and as a result adding to the dramatic aura. The track flows through atmospheric keyboard sections, slower grandiose orchestral sections and of course bombastic riff-o-rama. It maybe isn’t entirely seamless but it hardly feels its length. In fact the album, much like prime Rhapsody, manages to pack a lot into its compact 45 minutes and do so with an appreciation for flow and variety that retains freshness throughout.
I could continue to pick highlights because there is so much fun to be had, and very few duff sections (Dragonborn with plays with the Oompa Loompa side of baroque twittering and at times the singing gets a little uncomfortable; even the chorus feels a little too twee). The rather terrible dialogue in The Last Crystal Bearer adds to goofy the charm of the second ten-minute epic, throwing out RPG synth soundtrack styles amongst its power metal excess.
Maybe I’m affected by my nostalgia; At The Heart Of Wintervale takes me back over 20 years to a time when my life was dominated by Computer RPGs, the likes of Blind Guardian, Kamelot and Rhapsody, and a smattering of Terry Brooks novels. Twilight Force so joyously play with the ludicrousness of the fantasy sphere, and stack their songs so full of excess and memorable hooks that they’ve made a thoroughly enjoyable, high fantasy, audio adventure. 9/10
Celestial Wizard – Winds Of The Cosmos (Scarlet Records) [Rick Eaglestone]
Denver’s Celestial Wizard mix Fantasy and Fire with latest release Winds Of The Cosmos.
The opening track to this album could not have been better picked for the aesthetic – Andromeda has an 8-bit intro that launches into some great solo’s and it largely instrumental, this is followed by Revenant which has some wonderfully mixed vocal styles with a NWOBHM heartbeat.
Easily highlight track has to be Ice Realm as I have already hit repeat about 5 times already, it’s also worth noting that the accompanying music video is also worthy of your attention. Flooding in full of 80’s soundscapes is Powerthrone and if that wasn’t enough the organ intro and subsequent riffs that are loaded in Eternal Scourge have me in raptures with this trio which has been easily my favourite part of the album so far.
Not missing a beat is the wonderfully galloping Steel Chrysalis which lyrically is fabulous and really encompasses Celestial Wizard, Undead Renegade is also a welcome addition and has some great elements. The album concludes with duo of Cyberhawk which is embedded with some varied and ear catching soundscapes, before the final send off being the title track Winds Of The Cosmos which is science fiction personified.
Loaded with nostalgic fury. 8/10
Leaflet - Something Beyond (Rockshot Records) [Mark Young]
Hailing from Finland this their second release from the 4-piece following their debut in 2017, Outta Door. Like pretty much everyone else Covid put a dent in their efforts to build upon their first release but they continued to work and have managed to get back in the studio to put together Something Beyond, released by Rockshots. There are several notable Finnish bands that cover a wide range within guitar driven music, Children Of Bodom, Lordi and Hanoi Rocks and it is the latter band that they seem to be closer to.
Kicking off with Gonna Do It which is their up-tempo statement of intent which wears their 80’s influence quite proudly. Certainly the vocals reminds of Bon Jovi but with a heavier approach that makes it that little bit different. The style of music delivered would not be out of place in that decade which in many ways makes it seem out of time. In the interests of clarity, I was never a fan of ‘Hard Rock’ as played by Bon Jovi, Motley Crue and the like as it just never appealed to me.
Each of the songs presented are delivered well and to a high standard of musicianship and production but don’t remain in the memory for long after the album finishes. There is a structure to each so it seems there was a defined method used such as loud one, quiet one, Loud then quiet then loud which is fine but it doesn’t scream rock.
Again I’m not trying to be dismissive or snarky just for the sake of it as it will appeal to those who like Alter Bridge or Shinedown i.e. clean, earnest vocals and heavy-ish guitars but it feels like it is the musical equivalent of paint by numbers. It’s inoffensive and any of the songs on here would fit on a ‘This Is Rock’ type of collection 6/10
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