Xandria - Sacrificium (2014)

Originating from Germany Xandria has been around since the late 90's and has delivered great albums. Unfortunately, they have always remained in the shadow of other symphonic metal bands and the last few years they've had problems retaining their vocalist. Thankfully, this album will put all those things in the past. 

Sacrificium is an excellent symphonic metal album from start to end. In fact, the first thing that struck me when listening to it was how consistently good the album is. There are no real stand out songs as they all complement each other and create a whole. The album is symphonic but the band has a very present and heavy sound. The music is epic in scope but the songs are tight. The album is varied and show many shades but it always feels coherent. 

Xandria have managed to create an excellent album. I honestly can't stop listening to it. One of my favourite symphonic metal albums for a very long time.

Rating: Heavy Rotation

Anathema - Distant Satellites (2014)

Distant Satellites is Anathema's tenth studio album in a long career that has seen them evolve from doom metal to uplifting progressive rock with an ever present touch of melancholy. Whilst the previous two albums showed a considerable progression in their sound, Distant Satellites feels like a distillation of their sound since 2001's A Fine Day to Exit at the same time that it takes another bold step forward.

The band continues their journey into minimalism, something that's even more prevalent than in their previous two albums. The sound and arrangements have been stripped down and the structure of songs follows a driven crescendo more akin to post-rock music. The album opener is a prime example of this, The Lost Song Part I is a song that builds and builds in a clear progression until it completely explodes. It's very post-rock but it's also very much what Anathema has been doing for a while now. 

The album uses symphonic elements creating atmosphere and beautiful calm passages to great effect. Some of the guitar work harks back to A Fine Day to Exit, for example in Dusk (Dark is Descending), and some of the more ambient and electronic moments bring A Natural Disaster to mind, but Distant Satellites brings all these elements together with a more assertive, dressed down approach than ever and a more electronic sound that brings Radiohead to mind (something that was already present in parts of A Natural Disaster but it's more present than ever here).

Distant Satellites works best as an album. It's the whole experience rather than a collection of songs. Songs like Anathema and The Lost Song Part III are best experienced and understood in the context of what has come before. Having said that some highlights include the album opener The Lost Song Part I, a classic Anathema song that starts quietly, grows in power and explodes into an incredible wall of sound; the atmospheric and gentle Ariel and the darker shade that The Lost Song Part III (you can listen to the track below). 

But the last two songs in the album deserve a special mention. The title track, Distant Satellites, is an eight minute bold song that is jam packed with atmosphere, electronica and symphonic elements. It feels like this driven and fascinating song breaks with the past and presents a new Anathema. A feeling that continues with the closing track Take Shelter. It opens with a very quiet atmosphere and Vincent's fragile and hauntingly beautiful vocals then grows into an upbeat second half with electronic drums, leaving the listener with a powerful uplifting sensation. Both songs sound like Anathema but offer a new sound, a new side to the band, perhaps a sign of things to come, and they're my favourite songs.

The band has changed dramatically from their early years. Anathema has evolved from dark into light but there's still a strong sense of power, doom and melancholy even in their most uplifting moments. Distant Satellites is their tenth album and it successfully distills everything Anathema has been working on since A Fine Day to Exit at the same time that it takes a bold step forward. 

Perhaps some people will not be receptive to what Distant Satellites has to offer wanting the band to go back to what they were doing 15 to 20 years ago but that's their loss. I can't stop listening to this album and Anathema present once again what will surely be one of the best albums of the year.

Rating: Heavy Rotation

Please note, an interview to lead singer Vincent Cavanagh will be posted soon. This will be the very first interview for this blog, with many more to come - I hope! 

Vanishing Point - Distant is the Sun (2014)

Originating from Melbourne, Australia, Vanishing Point are now a veteran band with this their fifth release and, after a long hiatus, they're back with Distant is the Sun, an excellent album that builds on their past sound and expands it to fuller, more epic music. Vanishing Point have always stood out to me as a band that right from the start sounded unique, like no other. They've evolved across albums, expanded their sound while staying true to themselves and Distant is the Sun is the next assured step in their discography.

The album opens with an intro that leads into King of Empty Promises, a song that mixes perfectly their classic mixture of melodic metal, with a little dose of power metal and progressive flourishes. It's obvious from the very start that the band has made an effort to incorporate a fuller orchestral sound with great arrangements that add texture to the songs, making this the most epic sounding Vanishing Point album to date.

The guitar work, as it should be expected from VP, is top notch. The guitar solos are perfectly measured and the progressive flourishes always keep the songs interesting. Silvio Massaro's vocals sounds as solid as ever, with a great mix of powerful high vocals, heightened by a good use of harmonies and a good deal of emotion in his voice.

I can't really say which songs stand out as every single one of them speaks to me in different ways, but at the moment, I would highlight the opener King of Empty Promises, the fast and hard hitting Circle of Fire (with guest vocals by Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica), the incredibly infectious When Truth Lies, the more expansive and classic VP sounding Pillars of Sand and the powerful Walls of Silence.

Vanishing Point's greatest achievement, to me, is that the band always sounds fresh, melodic, easy, catchy, but it's at the same time creative, full of twists and unafraid to take risks. Overall, Distant is the Sun is an outstanding album for fans of melodic, progressive and power metal. The songs are fresh and catchy but at the same time display enormous complexity and depth. It's too early to say this will be the metal album of the year for me but (though I would love to be surprised) it will be very hard to top this one.

Rating: Heavy Rotation

Elysion - Someplace Better (2014)

Originating from Athens, Elysion is a gothic metal band with some symphonic elements. Someplace Better is their second album and the band has produced a great collection of songs.

Elysion's music will be instantly familiar to fans of the genre and they will be compared to Within Temptation and Lacuna Coil, in fact Christianna's vocal tone is often similar to Christina's from Lacuna Coil, but to simply compare them to those band is unfair because Elysion have managed to craft excellent song that have their own voice and personality.

Someplace Better is full of really catchy songs that are creative and melodic. The guitar riffs drive the songs with well measured electronic elements giving the music texture and shape. Christianna's vocal lines are great and she makes really good use of layered vocals and harmonies. 

Overall, Someplace Better is a great release for fans of the genre that has enough personality to stand out from the pack. It offers a great collection of songs and the album is instantly pleasing. 

Rating: Good Vibrations

††† Crosses (2014)

This album by Crosses gathers all the songs from their previous two EPs plus five new ones, that would've made the third EP. Presented all together here they form an excellent debut full length album that despite it's nature (three EPs in one) sounds cohesive.

The album opener This is a Trick gives a very good indication of what this album is about. This is dark electro rock, with soothing soundscapes, a touch of retro electronic sounds and a little dose of rock. From then on, the album dances between more electronic beats, straight pop melodies and more driven rock moments.

Most people will come to listen to this album for Chino Moreno, from Deftones, and his vocals are the central driver of this album. His excellent vocal range and silky vocals are used to incredible effect but there's are also new shades to his voice here, at times sounding very positively uplifting and pop. 

The album presents a great collection of songs and it's hard to choose stand outs but I would like to highlight the chill out and beautiful Trophy, which is followed by delicious pop song The Epilogue and the rockier Telepathy.

Rating: Heavy Rotation

Trivium - Vengeance Falls (2013)

Trivium is now a veteran band and this album shows that they mean business. While the metalcore elements are still present the band has left the style behind and present a new album that pushes them forward and into new territories.

Vengeance Falls is a great metal album and the band shows a more melodic and groovier side while still sounding incredibly epic. The production is brilliant, the guitar work is excellent and Heafy's vocals are better than ever. He has clearly evolved as a singer, with more tones and textures. 

The best thing about Vengeance Falls is that it sounds lean and epic at the same time. The songs are tight but not dressed down. Rather, Trivium has managed to expand their sound and keep all the best bits in one small package brimming with powerful metal. 

Overall, this is an absolute killer of an album.

Rating: Heavy Rotation

Within Temptation - Hydra (2014)

The veteran Dutch symphonic metallers return with Hydra, their sixth album. After experimenting with a concept album and releasing a series of 80s and 90s pop covers reworked to a Within Temptation style, their new album is a more straight forward offer that comes with a few surprises and bridges old and new.

The album opens with Let Us Burn, an excellent song that immediately reminds the listener why WT became one of the biggest symphonic metal acts. The song delivers all the trademarks of the band with an epic grand sound and Sharon's soaring vocals. From then on, the album never lets down delivering a great collection of tracks that show the band's diversity from the fast and heavy Dangerous to the poppy and beautiful Edge of the World. 

Apart from Let Us Burn, I would highlight the fast paced Dangerous, the catchy duet with Tarja on Paradise (What About Us?), the mellow Edge of the World and Silver Moonlight showing the band's heavier side.

All in all, I wouldn't say this is WT's best album but it delivers a great collection of tracks that proof they still haven't lost their touch to create memorable, catchy and fist pounding songs and builds a bridge between their old sound and new modern tendencies.

Rating: Heavy Rotation