Style: Symphonic power metal
Primary Emotions/Themes: Hope, science fiction, grandiose arrangements
Thoughts: I think this is the first overt power metal album I've written about for this blog. That says two things. One, I am not a huge fan of the genre as a whole. Two, this album is truly exceptional. Not only is it something I'll listen to, but it's an album that I went out of my way to get a record of.
Haven is the second album with new vocalist Tommy Karevik. I'm not going to spend too much time on Tommy vs. Khan but I will say that if anyone could fill the shoes of Khan it's this guy. The vocals on Haven are phenomenal. They are emotive, they are accurate, they never once take me out of the music because of an off note or undue scream. They are silky smooth and I'm very much a fan.
The music is pretty much standard Kamelot fare. That means intricate arrangements of keyboards and orchestras over galloping riffs and double bass drums for a majority of the album. That can't be all it is though, or else this album would be cast to the wayside like so many other albums in this genre for me.
What Kamelot does better than almost anyone in the power metal field is pacing. The album will go all guns blazing like the powerful opener Fallen Star. The band will then contrast that with a gravely deeply riff driven song like Citizen Zero. The album is hardly one dimensional, something that is an easy trap for power metal.
Where the band really shines through is the incredible ballad Under Grey Skies. This not only showcases Tommy's vocals to the utmost effect, but it draws in incredibly emotive acoustic work with a pan flute. This song is also contains one of Kamelot's staples: a guest female vocalist.
The way that Charlotte and Tommy play off of each other is quite frankly remarkable. They effortlessly dance between each other and bring out the best in the other vocalist. Towards the end where Tommy's voice goes up nearly an octave gives me chills. The first time I heard it I think I was moved to tears. If I'm honest, this song is the main reason I bought this record. Probably one of my top songs in the last ten years.
Kamelot breaks every rule I have for this genre. Not all of their albums is fantastic, but when they write a good one, they are one of my favorite artists in any genre. While Haven doesn't quite match Karma or The Black Halo, its pretty fucking close.
Written October 2nd 2023
No comments:
Post a Comment