Since their first album, Eternity,
Kamelot have evolved greatly. From a more or less basic approach with a strong reliance on the guitar work to a full-blown symphonic experience with everything it implies. Of course the band's success has given them acces to greater production values, but it feels like
Kamelot has been slowly but surely, finetuning their sound, especially through the past four albums. With The Black Halo,
Kamelot evolve even further and achieve something pretty close to perfection in the production department. Musically this is a highly infectous blend of Heavy, Power and Symphonic Metal with a few Progressive tendencies from time to time.
Kamelot have managed to find their own distinct sound and The Black Halo expands their universe even further.
Thomas Youngblood's exceptional guitar work and the amazing melodies are still my main attraction to
Kamelot. I found it funny that I was reminded of
Call of the sea from Eternity right from the start when the first riff sets off
March of Mephisto. Peeling away the layers shows that it is still the same band as the early days, now the keyboard and orchestra just plays a much bigger role in the music. Since it came out I've always held Dominion as my favorite
Kamelot album. The old albums with Mark Vanderbilt on vocals had a very special charm, which on the later albums has been exchanged for a more polished and brighter feel, but also better arranged songs. Today it is more of a mood thing, which period I prefer.
Anyway, onto the album. The last three
Kamelot albums have all opened with a catchy, fast-paced melodic wonder of a song, which somehow kept improving with each album. This time things have changed.
March of Mephisto is an atmospheric mid-tempo song that brings out an interesting side of the band. On guest vocals Shagrath from
Dimmu Borgir lends some growls, which contrast to Roy Kahn's clear voice very effectively. While this blend works very well it is not 100% successful. It sounds like Shagraths voice has has been through the electronic blender that is vocal effects and it comes out slightly less dramatic than I had imagined. Maybe this is just me but to get the ultimate effect his voice should have been further ahead in the mix. Besides that this is a very interesting opener to the album which sets the atmosphere right from the start. Jens Johanssen also guests on the song with a keyboard solo.
For those longing for that fast paced opening track your wish is granted with
When the lights are down. The opening keyboard melody gave me chills right from the start. I believe I have heard it somewhere else, but I just can't place it. That's usually a good sign. The band hasn't lost their touch and the chorus is one that will grow until it sticks to your brain like a big fat singing tumor.
The album is not easily digested but great things await those with patience. After 10-15 listens the songs really began to stand out. Several short atmosperic interludes add to the atmosphere and gives the album a connected feel. Unfortunately no lyrics accompanied the promo, so I won't say more than that The Black Halo continues the Faustus saga begun on
Epica but it easily stands on its own.
Musically the album is filled with strong songs. I will comment shortly on some of my favorites and try not to give too much away.
The Haunting is a very melodic song with a feeling of yearning that draws you in and it has an absolutely wonderful ending part which shamelessly fades out far too soon. I'm guessing that Simone Simons (
Epica) is the very fitting female voice in this song.
Soul society is maybe a bit too keyboard reliant, but with those melodies, who cares?
This pain is a more guitar driven song with a lot of energy and
Nothin ever dies has a outstanding and powerful chrous. The title track uses the keyboard to great effect. In the beginning it gives the song intensity and a great sense of urgency. A varied, fast paced song and another definite highlight.
Roy Kahn's voice is silky soft and extremely enticing. He has this emotional touch that makes his voice one of my favorites in the genre. Take a listen to the wonderful ballad
Abandoned as an example. Kahn's voice gives the song all the drama it needs. Just beautiful.
Memento Mori is an impressive 9 minute opus, slowly building towards its climax which sees the return of Shagrath in a short but cool duet with Mari (Masqueraid). But why the vocal effects on Kahn's voice? Damn, I hate that.
Serenade provides a powerful ending to this wide-ranging album.
A special mention goes to Casey Grillo on drums. He does a great job of keeping the music tight while adding little detail to the songs. Like the way he leads
When the lights are down into the chorus and a multitude of other places where he enhances the music in a good way.
The Black Halo keeps growing with each listen and contains no bad songs. Though I miss a few faster songs the album is very varied and in the end another outstanding effort by
Kamelot. This band has created some of the most extremely melodic power metal and put shortly, The Black Halo is among
Kamelot's best albums.
Written by
Steen Sunday, March 6, 2005
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