The new
Vision Divine album is an inspiring and high quality release coming from a Power Metal genre not having the best of times. Said in another way it seems like almost every one of the classic bands can only release around "overall good" releases, a lot of them lacking interesting ideas... this one on the contrary has a very clear vision.
The band roams within a slightly progressive and rather symphonic sphere, having the phenomenal vocals of Michele Luppi as the icing on the cake.
The story picks up from Stream Of Consciousness, after 40 years in a sanatorium, the madman's guardian angel dies...leaving him alone with his retrospective and philosophical thoughts. Sounds weird? Well it is, but it's also captivating and thought provoking, it highlights some challenging questions about the essence of life.
The title track shows great composition skills, being so much more than a high tempo blast. Thrilling drumming and otherworldly keys gives it a unique feel.
There is just something about the way Luppi sings voooiiiiicessssss in
Out Of A Distant Night (Voices) that makes me try and sing a long each time...it's quite the difficult line I might ad but he nails it with heavenly grace.
Again the song's basic formula is upgraded through groovy bass passages and an ingenious key/guitar solo...it's these clever extensions that lift this album from very good to fantastic and it's raining with them.
Eyes Of A Child starts out with a calm piano melody but soon explodes into a Power Metal firestorm, to the point and ultra melodic.
The Daemon You Hide introduces delicate semi acoustic guitar sounds, caressing piano inputs, a catchy refrain and a superb break nicely followed through by a blistering guitar solo once again overtaken by a keyboard overdrive, things are really happening here, brilliant things.
Michele Luppi shines all the way through this whole piece; his emotional execution of the stirring slow section in
The Essence Of Time is highly memorable moment.
The 25th Hour is a highly diverse album,
Perfect Suicide is an example of the aggressive side with fierce riffs and pounding drums, but no matter how heavy or speedy it becomes, the numerous detours and delicious fills will find a way.
Heaven Calling movingly captures the feeling of release perfectly with a harmonious guitar lick, before the soaring
Ascension brings a rather peaceful closure to a dark saga.
Is anything out of place?
Not really,
Alpha & Omega looses a bit momentum in the mid-section but soon picks up again, we are talking mere trivialities.
Rarely has a band gotten so much out of only 45-minutes, an album stripped of secondary details and unnecessary weight resulting in the band's most convincing effort to date.
It's not easy taking over from Oleg Smirnoff but new keyboardist Alesio Lucatti does an outstanding job in creating extensive background modelling and giving Olaf Thörsen a fight for his life in the solo sections.
Through the experienced hands of Timo Tolkki, the album has received a very dynamic and vibrant sound; perhaps he felt inspired by the truly awesome performance from the entire band.
Challenging compositions, thrilling melodies, a great story line and a band playing like it were their final hour on earth equals one of this years best releases.
Written by
Tommy Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Show all reviews by TommyRatingsTommy: 8.5/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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