Six (full length) albums in eight years of existence... Spanish power metallers
Dark Moor are definitely not a new band.
"Tarot" is their new cd and perhaps thanks to a label change, they are receiving more attention than ever. But is it deserved?
Dark Moor might have been a little different in the past, but the current incarnation with singer Alfred Romero, sounds a whole lot like
Kamelot. Alfred even has a voice that seems to echo Kahn's at times, minus a great deal of the passion and glory conjured by the
Kamelot frontman. The choruses are so bloated that his lead gets lost amongst the voices frequently and the beautiful siren song of backup singer Manda Ophuis (borrowed from Nemesea) overpowers the rest of the time. Which is not necessarily a mark against the vocal lines, these two compliment each other very well and bring a sense of depth and texture to the music.
"Tarot" packs an interesting premise, something that has surprisingly not been touched on much in the power genre so far. As the title suggests, each song is played around a tarot card and how it relates to every day life. The concept plays out successfully, keeping the themes varied but yet linked at the heart. The album works as a single solid entity and as one served up in bits and pieces. It was a no-brainer basis to forge a record around, and would have taken alot of work to cause this aspect of the disc to fail. A crisp, clean and booming sound is courtesy of producer Luigi Stefanini who has handled the works of Labyrinth, Vision Divine, and Rhapsody - three bands that this Spanish outfit borrows alot from. The sound is bigger budget seeming than it really is, very theatrical and massive in places, sometimes to its detriment.
After the spell spun instrumental
"The Magician", serving as the opener, the album takes off. Song quality varies greatly here. The typical double drum, skull crushing, pace path blazing is utilized far too often with mediocre results. It all sounds very convincing however. Spiraling fresh guitars from Enrik Garcia, throat burning vocals, an overall spell cast of epic bombast grandeur. Yet something is missing. A soul. A chorus... a catch. If you have spent anytime with the greats and not so greats of the genre, then this kind of stuff has been heard before, and done better. A few examples of these tracks that don't quite make the cut include the mindless speedy repetition in
"Wheel of Fortune" and to a lesser extent,
"The Star".
They also take famous classical pieces and shove them through the metal grinder and gloss, such as pieces of
"The Moon", a song which is otherwise far too long winded for its own good. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony gets the heavy metal treatment, and when that's being pumped through the speakers, its a blood flush rush for sure. This neo-classical spin suits them and the band is up for the task, nailing each and every note. The track is shoved through the gamut of highs and lows, slow weaving guitars accented by piano gives way to hysterical galloping and maniacal drum thunder thumping. An epic surely, in scope and execution, but one that falls to the curse of boredom by dragging sections out past tastefulness and playing up the emphasis on headache inducing instrumental tangents. Sure, these tangents are flashy, showing off just what the musicians can do, but they ramble on til irritation sets in.
"Devil in the Tower" suffers from the stretched epic syndrome too. A shame, for some streamlining could have shaped these into powerful pieces.
Dark Moor could really use an editor to chop shop these babies into greatness. The parts are there but just too strung out, over extended and dwindling into boredom to pack the punch they so deserve. On the other hand, that's exactly what some metal fans will rave about in regards to this band, so its a case of each to their own. If rambling Rhapsody wannabe symphonic epics are your thing, these two will leave you giddy and gasping for more.
There are good songs too, worthy of leaving your senses tingling. Its not all wasteful rapid blood rushed pomp.
"The Chariot" sports a great chorus that gets ingrained in the brain,
"The Hanged Man" has support at the gallows in the form of a tidal wave of frothy keyboards and a tempo that lets the song breathe and surface for gulps of air. The ligature isn't ready to be dropped quite yet for the band.
"Lovers" is the closest match to a ballad, and is another surefire winner. A spellbound sense in the lyrics and a midpacing that is casual, drifting and dreamlike. This hazy, softened atmosphere lift it beyond the rest to another plane. Taking on the qualities of
Kamelot's lighter fare to make a great piece that has all the right progressive touches.
The lightning touch of
"Death" is dangerously dark and surging, a fitting feel for a song based around racing to life's end. Guitar strings cut like daggers and the expressive vocals leave an impression of shadowy intrigue. Bonus song,
"The Fool" is cranking high flying power metal, dishing out double drums and a catchy vocal harmony. Reminiscent of
Stratovarius in the use of synth and heavy, quick as a bunny groove. Fantastic guitar solo here, one that grabs you and doesn't let go, it just keeps upping the ante for a sizzling performance.
"Tarot" is both a guilty pleasure treat and a mixed bag of an album. Some songs are on par with the big guns of power/prog, the concept is unique, a symphonic bombastic atmospheric vibe that sounds lush (and expensive), and performances are for the most part, outstanding. However some subpar songwriting material and a few overly indulgent scatter brained epics leave some to be desired. Overall a good purchase for anyone into the Labyrinth, Rhapsody, Vision Divine,
Kamelot side of the power metal spectrum (crossed with light prog/symphonic elements ) will find a treasure trove of material to like. There's alot of promise here, and the next album could be a slayer if all comes together properly as it should. The potential is amazing and for now,
"Tarot" is just good enough to whet the appetite. Overall its a pleasing power disc that's heads and shoulders above most efforts currently available on the market.
Written by
Alanna Wednesday, March 21, 2007
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