Servantes- Инфант / Infant (2014)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

Servantes is a melodic metal band from Moscow that mixes elements of hard rock, traditional heavy metal, and European power metal into an entertaining but, in the end, somewhat superficial first full length effort. The keyboards are smartly employed throughout the record and add a dark, joyous, or experimental tone to the different tunes, but while the guitar work is great, it’s lacking a signature style. The vocals are well performed and should appeal to any melodic metal fan, but I’m missing an edgier and more expressive style here and there. The rhythm section is unspectacular apart from a few selected exceptions. Still, the harmonious and rocking flow of the record and the clever use of a few well-selected experiments bump this record up and make it thoroughly enjoyable.

The most outstanding here is the energizing hard rock anthem “Судьба Пьеро”, with its happy piano work, its great classic rock guitar solo, a short bass guitar solo, and more diverse use of percussion in the middle part. Maybe Servantes would be a better band if it performed primarily classic and hard rock music instead of heavy and power metal, because this is great. My second favorite track is probably the dark and plodding “Я зажигаю рассвет”, with its nearly cinematic oriental folk sounds which add some more depth to the release, but I must admit that I’m pretty into this kind of music, even though it has been overused in the genre over the past few years. The use of almost darkwave-sounding keyboards before the faster power metal-inspired middle part in the catchy “Дуэль” may only last for a few seconds, but they make this track stay on my mind. The joyous power metal tune “Столица” has a classical tone, and the decent use of grounded female backing vocals only add to the celebrative atmosphere.

There is a lot of light on this release, but also some shade. “Война” employs too many keyboard passages and comes along with a weird guest singer that tries to sound like Jorn Lande on an Avantasia record. Humorously, he sounds as if he was a little bit drunk. At least this is an entertaining track, but it’s not exactly excellent material. The longest tune on the release is the ballad “Я ослеп”, which includes synths of classical instruments, an average acoustic guitar performance, lifeless riffs, and exchangeable vocal lines. The whole song would have been average filler material if it had been three minutes shorter, but the unimpressive potpourri drags on for almost seven minutes. For some obscure reason, the second epic track on the release, the album closer “Застывшая симфония”, almost sounds like its musical twin. In my opinion, power metal ballads are either really moving or very unimpressive, as there seems to be no standard for power metal ballads. Servantes tends to write the second kind of ballad, and ends an otherwise solid record on a weaker note. In the future, the band should simply leave out the calmer and more progressive sounds, as they only really convince with the shorter and more rocking tunes.

In the end, Servantes delivers an entertaining melodic metal release with a few rock-infused parts and a handful of successful open-minded experiments. The band always performs well when it adds a few colorful effects, decides to rock out, and writes short and consistent material. The epic tracks and especially the ballads are rather shallow and lack originality. Melodic rock and power metal fans should enjoy this warm-hearted release enough to give it a few spins, but it surely doesn’t reinvent the genre and likely won’t leave a deeper impression.

3.25 // 5

Kamijo- Heart (2014)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

Kamijo is, of course, the singer of the popular Japanese power metal band Versailles, which is currently on hold. While the other members joined forces with a new singer called Zin to form the band Jupiter (which released its first full length album Classical Element in summer of 2013), Kamijo started a solo career under his own name, and has delivered his first strike entitled Heart here in autumn of 2014. While Kamijo’s solo record isn’t far from the symphonic visual kei sound of his original band, this record turns out to be quite odd, and has massive ups and downs.

As so many Japanese artists, Kamijo also delivers an interesting mix of genres. This record features some very calm music with warm organ sounds, which are wonderful to listen to in winter time and around Christmas. There are symphonic elements, but they are decently employed and neither too fluffy nor too overwhelming due to a balanced but sluggish production. Here and there, we even get to hear some swing music, which is definitely something one doesn’t hear very often on a metal album. Minimal French chanson elements here and there fit in with the francophile artist who sang about Louis XIV and the Moulin Rouge, among other subjects. The stereotypical imagery and predictable lyrics are mildly amusing, but add to the grace of the record. Still, all these elements are mixed in a coherent, harmonious, and smooth way. Don’t expect too many random genre changes in the same song. This record sounds a lot more graceful, mature, and organized than Babymetal, for example, but here lies the main problem of Heart. Despite all the diversity, the album sounds quite lame, and starts getting very boring after a while.

An important problem is the tame production of the album, which works well for the chanson, sacral, and symphonic elements, but not for the power metal foundation. The guitar riffs are not so bad, but they sound somewhat lackluster, and even the few technically well-played solos don’t feel as liberating as they should on this kind of record. The rhythm section is not mixed in the foreground either, which would have added some much needed energy to the few faster tracks. Another huge problem is the vocal performance. Kamijo convinces in exactly one single style: when he sings in a grounded, low, and melodic way – which is the case on almost every song. His repetitive vocals have an elegant tone when he performs in this style, but as soon as he tries to sing in a more emotional way, his voice has massive problems keeping its balance. This hits hard when he starts to sing for the very first time on the record in the song “Rose Croix” (where the title obviously doesn’t respect any basic French grammar rules). Kamijo’s vocals sound androgynous, dusty, and old in the first thirty seconds of the song, and his aqualung performance is only slightly improved over the course of this track. It almost sounds as if he had just recovered from a pneumonia. Another point where Kamijo’s vocals fail hard is when he is trying to hit some higher or longer notes. During the closure of “Louis”, Kamijo sounds like a tired old wolf giving its final howl. This is sending shivers down my spine, and not in a positive way.

Another item one must criticize is the lack of originality on several tracks that seem to be directly inspired by visual kei records of the past thirty years. The worst thing is that Kamijo picked the most popular bands and songs of that genre, so the cheap rehash is obvious even to someone who isn’t an expert of the genre. I’m aware of the fact that X Japan is probably the biggest act of this genre and has influenced numerous bands, but the piano part in the middle of “Louis” reminds me way too much of the groundbreaking epic “Art of Life”, even if it’s just for a few seconds. “Dakishimerarenagara” is worse yet, as almost all of its melodies are directly taken from the track “Au Revoir” from famous visual kei heavyweight Malice Mizer. Additionally, the opening symphonic passages of the somnolent ballad “Romantique” sound like a mixture of Jean-Jacques Goldman’s “La Vie Par Procuration” and Pet Shop Boys’ “It’s A Sin”. All these influences reveal what this album really is despite the numerous genres it desperately tries to cover: a commercial visual kei release with a few French chanson elements mixed in haphazardly. We can call this unblushingly calculated mainstream pop music clad in the overused imagery of French aristocracy and vampire romance. If the Twilight franchise decided to set an upcoming movie in 17th century France, this would be the perfect plastic kitsch soundtrack. It’s a record for childish female teenagers, nostalgic die-hard visual kei completists, and boring self-defined intellectuals who would like to listen to some pseudo-open-minded J-Pop while reading their newest manga import series. This album has barely to nothing to do with rock and metal music.

Once you’ve accepted that this compilation is pseudo-experimentation by the numbers without much depth, as well as a lot of idol worship, you might still find a handful of decent tracks. “Yamijo No Lion” features some speed, a few nice guitar melodies, and an epic neoclassical atmosphere. The haunted house samples towards the end make me think of the soundtrack from a Pinball computer game, but this is one of the few experiments that somehow manages to work in the context of its song, because the track has coherently progressed toward a more sinister finale. The decent “Death Parade” is one of the few tracks which isn’t a boring rehash, but rather all over the place. This oddball still has a certain intriguing feeling to it, as it features a horror-ridden atmosphere and has a strange hypnotic sound to it which is supported by almost Middle Eastern-sounding symphonic background melodies. This mixture works well, but is muddied by a guitar solo and a short narrative part that are randomly inserted and don’t add anything but confusion to a more or less messed up track. The base of this song is great, but the additional gimmicks are just distracting and even disturbing. Less would have been so much more in this perfect example of a failed attempt at creative song writing. “Moulin Rouge” mixes old-fashioned swing music and great metal guitar work with a few powerful background vocals, it has a hectic feeling to it, but it fits the topic of a hot dancing show. This is not only the most original, but also by far the best song on the entire album.

In the end, Heart could have been a fairly decent record with more powerful production, a more talented and balanced singer, and more coherent and original song writing. As it is, this commercial visual kei product is a very hit and miss product with less than a handful of decent songs and many unimpressive genre rehashes. There is no real single stinker here, but apart from the swinging “Moulin Rouge”, no track is really worth a closer look. This record is for die-hard genre fans at best.

2.25 // 5

Allen/Lande - The Great Divide (2014)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

Many fans were worried when they learned that the well-reputed project bearing the names of Russell Allen and Jorn Lande would see an important line-up change four years after the third and last release. Previous songwriter, bassist, guitarist, and keyboard player Magnus Karlsson was, in fact, replaced by none other than Timo Tolkki, one of the most iconic but also most inconsistent musicians of the European power metal scene. Since Timo Tolkki has left Stratovarius, he’s released a whole lot of controversial and (largely) negatively received releases under his own solo banner, during the Revolution Renaissance era, as his short-lived Symfonia project, as mastermind of Timo Tolkki’s Avalon, and recently as bassist in progressive all-star act Ring Of Fire. I have always followed Tolkki’s career with much interest because he wrote not only some of the worst disasterpieces of his genre (Angels Of The Apocalypse and Elements, Part I) but also some of the very best (Dreamspace and Visions). I’m relieved to say that the new Allen/Lande release The Great Divide is what I consider to be one of Timo Tolkki’s very best releases. It beats the solid The Land of New Hope as well as In Paradisum, and may be Tolkki’s best album since Stratovarius’ Infinite. In addition, this release is also a career highlight for both vocalists, especially Jorn Lande, who has largely released exchangeable quantity over convincing quality material over the past few years.

The Great Divide is a surprisingly calm album, and almost all tracks here are mid-tempo at best. Another surprise is that Timo Tolkki didn’t include any of his fast-paced signature guitar solis that remind me of gobbling turkeys. His soloing is slower, more relaxed, and less neoclassical than usual, which also describes the overall atmosphere of the album. The instrumental section plays in a soft but precise way, and is very helpful to the overall atmosphere. The guitar work varies from simple melodic lines to beautiful mid-tempo soli. The keyboard is probably the most outstanding instrument on the album, however. It’s always present and still not overused, and the record always comes around with dreamy orchestrations or melancholic piano melodies at the right moments. Massive background vocals and powerful choruses in almost all songs make both singers stand out. Sometimes it’s still hard to decipher the two singers for me, but their performances are generally more distinctive than in the past, and they perform very well apart from this.

The catchiest power metal songs here are, first of all, the melodic and powerful opener “Come And Dream With Me” that delivers  some amazing guitar melodies that will be stuck in your mind for a very long time from first contact on. “Dream About Tomorrow” is the only up-tempo track with heavier riffs, and also features an incredible vocal performance by Jorn Lande that sends shivers down my spine. The song is completed with sophisticated organ sounds and a liberating guitar solo. It’s definitely among the very best genre tracks released this year (in my opinion).

Many songs on the album like “Hymn To The Fallen” and “Reaching For The Stars” have a melodic AOR touch. They really breathe the spirit of laid-back hard rock music of the eighties from bands like Dokken, Journey, or Whitesnake. Even the infamous “Stronger Than Ever” release by Digger (which I happen to like a lot) comes to my mind when I listen to this album. One of the best songs here is the title track “The Great Divide”. Despite being the slowest song on an already rather slow-paced release, this track fascinates with the mixture of soothing vocals from both singers, and inspired guitar melodies. It’s probably the most unique song ever released by the project, but this is still music with force and soul.

Fans of Russell Allen, Jorn Lande, and Timo Tolkki themselves need this release. Those who love melodic heavy metal should also give this album a few spins and let it grow before judging it too quickly. If you like AOR or eighties rock, you might enjoy this release more. In a weird way, this album features several trademarks from the former bands of the involved musicians and still sounds different from any other genre release this year due to its newly sophisticated and intellectual approach. For me, the combination of Allen, Lande, and Tolkki works extremely well, and I don’t miss Magnus Karlsson’s input at all.

3.75 // 5

Cea Serin - The Vibrant Sound of Bliss and Decay (2014)

Reviewed by Sebastian Kluth

Cea Serin is a criminally unknown and underrated American progressive metal band that just released its second full length album, The Vibrant Sound Of Bliss And Decay, ten years after its first ouput entitled …Where Memories Combine. Along with underrated American progressive metal veterans Leviathan, Cea Serin has managed to deliver a progressive metal highlight for the year. Ever since I listened to the entire release for the first time, I haven’t been able to stop listening to this album over and over again.

The band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana opens its new release with the straight and technical “Holy Mother”, which surprises with heavy riffs instead of a lengthy introduction. The vocals are a little bit hard to digest in the beginning, as they have an angry tone before the second vocalist adds a smoother touch. While the rougher vocals remind me of Iced Earth, the more cleaner parts remind me of a band like Edguy. Both singers contribute to a gripping chorus, as the band always manages to come around with a few catchy refrains within the complex song structures. The middle part of the song takes its time to allow the different instruments to shine. I especially like the rhythmic bass guitar play and the well-used keyboard sounds. The instrumental portions make me think of the best moments from bands like Dream Theater and Symphony X in the nineties. Yes, it’s that great.

Up next is “The Illumination Mask”, which starts with the closing melodies of the opener and enters some futuristic keyboard sounds, as well as vocal samples that seem to be taken from an old movie. The song immediately builds up a bleak and mysterious atmosphere and is completely different from the up-tempo opener. After the gripping introduction, it evolves into a technically stunning power metal song. There are a few heavier riffs, but also a number of melodic passages on a constantly challenging technical level. The glorious chorus is everything that a power metal fan could dream of. After the chorus comes a calmer and atmospheric passage that sends shivers down my spine, and is just short enough to perfectly fit in and keep the listener’s attention high. If the opening track was very good, then this song is truly excellent. If the album has a “hit”, then it’s this incredibly ferocious outburst. The track is only eight minutes long, but I wish it would never end.

The middle of the album is dedicated to the calm and elegant ballad “Ice”. The vocals are performed with passion while the instrumental part convinces with soft jazz influences, acoustic guitars, a highly diversified stripped-down percussion section, and dreamy keyboard sounds that invite the listener to relax. This is easily the best progressive rock ballad I have heard in years. This track is pure genius, but for completely different reasons than the second.

“The Victim Cult” is a varied progressive metal song that delivers with a mixture of heavier riffs and harsher vocals on one side, and soothing vocals and passionate melodies on the other. Vocal samples and Middle Eastern folk music add more depth to an already brilliant track that truly shines in its instrumental parts, where playful percussion, vivid bass guitar, and melodic guitar solos meet.

The band ends the album with a twenty-minute long progressive rock epic entitled “What Falls Away”, which opens with meaningful and melancholic piano that is soon joined by soothing string samples. The song really takes its time to calmly evolve step by step over the first five minutes. Yet more vocal samples add another atmospheric dimension to the song before the track gets a little heavier and even more emotional after the five-minute mark. Heavier riffs, guitar solos, and tight bass play and drumming meet beautifully laid-back piano and calm vocals in an outburst of emotions and images. The song continues to get a little bit heavier, darker, and more technical from an instrumental point of view after the seven-minute mark. Still, the band surprises with lounge and jazz sounds as well as with grounded female vocals here and there that lend an appeasing tone to this more vivid section. After a while the track goes back to Spanish acoustic guitar sounds and calm percussion before the futuristic keyboard solo joins in to lead the listener back to the heavier and more hectic part of the song. “What Falls Away” ends with a grand finish before looping back to its calmer opening minutes. Despite its long running time, this song never feels redundant, and should be considered a modern progressive metal milestone, just as should the entire album. The description progressive should be written in bold and capital letters to describe this closing track in particular. Let’s say it this way: If Mike Oldfield was a metal musician, this would be one of the very best songs of his career. It’s some kind of “Tubular Bells” or “Music from the Balkony” (from the highly underrated progressive rock masterpiece “Heaven’s Open” by the way) for contemporary metal fans.

It’s a pleasure to hear several outstanding bands from the American underground stealing the crown from established acts like Dream Theater these days. It’s also a pleasure to support these bands and to encourage them to carry on and surpass themselves repeatedly. In my humble opinion, progressive metal fans just can’t get away with not hearing Cea Serin this year. Before you forget about this record, do yourself a favour and listen to the entire album on Bandcamp.

4.75 // 5