Delain from Holland were formed by keyboardist and mastermind Martijn Westerholt and this is their seventh full length opus. What is new in Delain, all the members except Martijn quit the band couple of years ago and it became a solo project again, but here is the new line-up, hence the new opus and it is mighty good. This one contains eleven songs, one being a piano version of one of for me best songs on this opus called ‘The Quest and the Curse’. For those who don’t know, Delain play symphonic gothic metal, bombastic sympho passages interplay with great guitar melodies topped with dramatics and beautiful voice of new singer Diana Leah. What I must also mention that this opus includes guest performances by Paolo Ribaldini and ex Nightwish bassist/vocalist Marko Hietala especially in song ‘Invictus’ which is also one of my personal favorites on this album. Some bands playing this kind of metal tend to lose their edge and become too soft, Delain on this album kept their metal edge especially in ‘Tainted Hearts’, melodic gothic metal mixed with fine dose of metal marching guitars. Songs that I must also mention as being superb are ‘Moth to a Flame’ and ‘Queen of Shadow’. This is a great sympho gothic metal album by legends of the genre.
Dutch veterans Within Temptation are back with new e.p. out with Spinefarm. They started as more gothic metal oriented band, but in decades evolved into more epic symphonic metal but stayed with some gothic roots and influences. There are eight songs on this one, four plus four instrumental versions. What to say? Grand majestic songwriting, epic keyboard passages and melodic guitar work, sometimes traversing into more harsh and brutal side of things, topped with vocalist Sharon, who is by far one of the best girl singers in metal scene. My personal favorites on this one are Don´t pray for me and The Purge. Instrumental versions are not needed and serve only to fill in space. Nonetheless this little e.p. is a nice way to catch time for new full length once in the near future.
Sakis Tolis je poznat kao jedan od braće Tolis, uz brata Themisa osnivač i pokretačka snaga grčkih black metal legendi Rotting Christ. Ovo je Sakisov prvi samostalni e.p. koji se sastoji od 6 pjesama. Muzika je nešto drugačija, a opet slična Sakisovom matičnom bendu. Riječ je o melodičnom black metalu grčke škole, topao mediteranski zvuk melodija, a opet opakog prizvuka, uz nešto više doom metal i gothic metal utjecaja nego Rotting Christ, a manje folka. Prevladava Sakisov moćan vokalni growl, ali clean vokali i zborski dijelovi melodija su ono što čini ovaj opus jednim moćnim ostvarenjem. Meni su se nekako najviše dojmile naslovna pjesma, a još i We…The Fallen Angels i The Silence. Ovo je jak e.p. majstora ekstremnog metala i preporučam svakom tko je fan Rotting Christ, a i onima koji nisu.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 