Signum Regis - Exodus (2013)

Whether you believe in the Bible or not, or put any stock in the historical accounts it contains, it's an interesting book filled with many stories that have captivated people for centuries.  Among the more famous and interesting is the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, with the familiar story of people in slavery to Pharaoh Ramses, and the various miracles performed by God via Moses, the humble Hebrew who grew up in the lap of luxury with the Egyptian Pharaoh, having been found by Pharaoh's wife and raised as his own son.  Upon receiving a revelation from God, however, Moses rejects his life with Egypt to go back to his Hebrew people and culture.  God then calls Moses to the task of forcing Pharaoh's hand to free the Israelites from slavery, only to confront his former "brother" Ramses and continue to beg for freedom as God ravaged the Egyptian land and people with several plagues designed to coerce Ramses into relenting, and allowing the Israelites to come out of bondage.

Various parts of the Exodus have been fodder for metal lyrics in the past, most notably Metallica's "Creeping Death", an interpretation of the final of the 10 plagues; the plague involving painting the door frames of each house with lamb's blood to avoid the angel of death claiming the life of the firstborn son of each household.  Their excellent one-off track notwithstanding, the only other example of a full concept album involving the Israelite Exodus I'm familiar with is the debut of Amaseffer, a band actually from Israel and steeped in the stories of the Exodus from a cultural perspective.  Their album, "Exodus - Slaves For Life" is purportedly the first in a trilogy of albums about Moses' life, the Exodus of the Israelites, and their entry into the Promised Land.  Having released the album in 2008, however, there has been no follow-up, and I'm beginning to wonder if chapter 2 (currently titled "When the Lions Leave Their Den") is ever coming out.

In the meantime, bass guitarist and band leader Ronnie König (also of heavy/prog metallers Vindex and power metal band Symphonity) has put together the 3rd album under the Signum Regis moniker and has decided to employ several guest vocalists to give the album range and breadth for telling the tale of Moses and the Exodus.  Given the scope of Moses' story that Amaseffer is tackling with their trilogy, it was wise of Ronnie to focus more specifically on the key parts of the story - Moses' call from God and subsequent mission, the struggle for freedom from slavery, the demand to Pharaoh, the exodus and escape from Egypt, and the resulting freedom and life outside of the clutches of Egyptian tyranny.  What is evident from the opening guitar chords of "Enslaved" is that this will be a much different journey than what Amaseffer presents.  Namely, rather than a lengthy progressive metal epic told with a lot of Hebrew language and cultural reference, this will be a succinct power/progressive metal album with a more straightforward retelling of the story.

I'm not familiar with Signum Regis' material prior to this release, but if this album's quality is any indication, it may well be worth looking into.  The use of multiple vocalists is always a gamble, as sometimes it works brilliantly, and sometimes it falls flat.  Here, I'm happy to report that the tactic works pretty well, for the most part.  The songs all have a bit of a different feel, and each vocalist brings a certain tone and feel to their respective track(s), which helps give the album a lot more diversity and makes for an interesting listen.  Had the album been full of more high-profile vocalists, I think the focus would have been too much on those voices, and not on the whole package, so drafting the talent he did was a smart move from Ronnie.  It also means that the sound varies a bit from track to track, with some tracks asserting a more aggressive, heavy style, while some have a bit more sheen and come off as purposefully more epic in sound.  As for the selection of vocalists themselves, they all add something to the album and all fit well within the framework.

As mentioned before, the guitar sound varies somewhat on the album, from the heavier, chunky riffing in "Let Us Go!" to the slightly more restrained tone in a track like "Song of Deliverance".  Guitar work by Filip Koluš and Ado Kaláber is generally excellent throughout, with a handful of solos really shining (like the bendy, effects-laden solo in "Wrath of Pharaoh").  The riffing is more interesting here than in your typical substandard power metal fare, with some interesting riff work that twists about in places, and is more than just power chords strummed fast and furiously.  If you hadn't already heard their work in Vindex, there's no doubt these gents have chops and technique to spare.  Keyboards are provided by Ján Tupý, also of Vindex, and for the most part, they're quite subtle, content to keep the background to provide atmospherics, though he occasionally gets to break free from the scenery and add flourishes here and there that make them more than just wallflowers.  Bass guitar is, of course, handled by Ronnie, and he does a good job propelling the tunes, with his bass in the mix where it's audible and able to be part of the proceedings.  Ronnie doesn't show off too much, and often keeps time with the guitar lines, but occasionally (like in "Last Days of Egypt") he gets to provide the bulk of the rhythm while the guitars go off into whiz-bang mode.  Drumming is courtesy of fellow Vindex alum Jaro Jančula, and is handled solidly.  As with his work in Vindex, he does a good job of providing what the song needs and not getting in the way.  He keeps time well and blends nicely with the group.  His drum sound here is good as well, having a nice combination of well produced, yet still sounding organic.  The drums have some oomph to them as well, so they don't sound overly "clicky" or hollow.

Vocally, the album is quite strong with all the various singers on here.  In the list of vocalists that lend their talents are existing Signum Regis vocalist Göran Edman, Matt Smith of Theocracy, Michael Vescera (Obsession), Lance King (you name it, he's sung for them), Daisa Muhnoz (Vandroya & Soulspell), along with Eli Prinsen (Sacred Warrior, The Sacrificed), Samuel Nyman (Manimal), Thomas Winkler (Gloryhammer & Emerald, neither of which I'm familiar), and Mayo Petranin.  The only vocalists from the list I have real familiarity with are Daisa, Matt Smith, and Eli Prinsen, so I can only guess who sings on the other tracks, but all vocalists sound good on their respective songs and bring a nice blend to the sound.  As for the lyrics, they convey the story of the Exodus from both a personal perspective, as well as simply a storytelling bent, so it's nice to get things from both angles.  The production here is good, as the instrumentation has enough separation so you can hear what's going on with each instrument, though I will say due to the number of sessions it took to record this album, there are some songs that have slightly less polish to the final product, and others that sound as though time was spent sanding off the rough edges to give it that butter-smooth feel like latter day Blind Guardian, where the heaviness is slightly diminished by how shiny it all is.  It's not overly distracting, but still noticeable.

At the end of the day, this is a quality album that will please fans of power metal and especially those who like these kinds of collaborations, because it allows the vocalists to do their thing in their own way.  One almost wonders if the songs were written with some of these specific vocalists in mind, because they come off sounding as though they were designed for a certain vocalist's talents or approach.  Specifically, "Wrath of Pharaoh", "The Ten Plagues", "Song Of Deliverance", and "Sole Survivor" all sound as if they were tailor-made with the vocalist in mind, because they blend so well into those settings.  I'd say too well, in the case of Matt Smith, as his performance sounds just a bit more restrained than he normally is with Theocracy.  "Mountain of God" being the bonus track is a bit strange, as it fits in with the theme (Moses on the mountain receiving the ten commandments), but this is a small thing.  The melodies on the album may not be quite as memorable as I'd like, but the enthusiastic performances, quality playing, and overall great sound partially make up for that.  I'd recommend this for fans of power metal who like more than just speedy, double-bass ridden fodder, and especially to enthusiasts of history and Hebrew culture, and metal fans in general looking for something a bit outside their comfort zone.

80/100

Seventh Avenue - Terium (2008)

Some bands are like wine, cheese, leather products, etc.  They get better with age.  Some bands come bursting out of the chute with a killer debut and it is forever hailed as the best thing they ever did, with each subsequent album failing to meet fan expectations for one reason or another.  Metallica has certainly felt this, as most fans think anything they've done outside their 1st 4 albums isn't worthy to bear the name Metallica, and that the band should have hung it up years ago.  Other bands don't fare quite so poorly, and maintain a good fanbase, but everyone wonders when they're going to top the debut.  Germany's Seventh Avenue, however, is not one of those bands.  This group just got better and better as the years went on.  Starting in 1989, every release by this collective showed improvement in musicianship, vocal prowess and control, songwriting, and overall talent.  Sadly, this 2008 opus will prove to be the last under the Seventh Avenue moniker, as just a few days prior to composing this review, Seventh Avenue as a band has reportedly broken up.  Thankfully, most of the line-up will continue under a different moniker.

As for "Terium", however, this is the way to end a band.  Going out with a bang like this leaves a great lasting impression, and this album certainly accomplishes that.  Aside from the obligatory intro track and with the possible exception of the second ballad toward the end, this album is non-stop power metal majesty, expertly written, executed and delivered.  Where the predecessor "Eternals" was a barrage of super-catchy power metal anthems loosely strung together to form a really good overall album, this opus goes the extra mile by weaving a concept and storyline together along with the overt catchiness and anthemic feel fans have come to expect from this metal collective.  Some may be put off by the album's length (70 minutes is a lot of music for a power metal album), those brave enough to join the band on this journey will be richly rewarded.

The whole idea behind "Terium" is that the titular substance is a mineral (or a drug) found on the planet Kranos.  It gives the user eternal life, but as the adage goes, "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely."  People become hopelessly addicted to Terium, and society falls into chaos with moral foundations breaking down, relationships crumbling, procreation slowing because of the newfound eternal life, and the dependence on Terium ruling people's lives.  Though it has more of a 'moral' slant to it, it is reflective of Frank Herbert's Dune series of novels, with the spice drug 'melange' existing only on the planet Arrakis (aka Dune) and giving long-lasting life and mind-altering/expanding effects.  However, rather than a story of a mere mortal becoming a 'supreme being' like Herbert's 'Kwisatz Haderach' character, "Terium" takes a more biblically aligned path of having 'Ratis', son of the creator, coming down to the planet to save the populace from the addiction to the Terium mineral.  So while this concept isn't wholly original, Seventh Avenue can be forgiven that transgression because very few bands borrow from Herbert (Iron Maiden is the only other obvious example I know of), while J.R.R. Tolkein and C.S. Lewis are endlessly plagiarized by power metal musicians worldwide on a daily basis.  At least their choice of a more science fiction-based storyline is more original than many of their metal brethren.  There's just a hint of Heinlein's Stranger In a Strange Land as well.  In any event, lyrically this is a strong album that weaves the story well and uses the 'power' of power metal to tell the tale in a catchy, upbeat manner that really sells the story.  Kudos to Herbie Langhans for what he accomplished here, as it successfully uses that Dune influence while injecting enough change in the story to be a unique work.

Musically, this album is a tour de force, and an album that fans of power metal will likely enjoy thoroughly.  While I didn't gel with this upon its release, as I purchased a lot of albums at the same time as this one, I found myself spinning this for several weeks in preparation for this review.  I am still listening to the album as I write this, and am not remotely tired of it yet.  Guitar work is excellent, combining highly melodic playing and speedy riffing with slower passages for atmosphere and to pull a bit of a 'bait and switch' effect, especially in the intro for "Priests and Servants".  Solo work is also excellent, with just the right balance between musicianship and showmanship.  There aren't so many solos here that you feel like you're listening to Dragonforce, but enough to satisfy fans of the style, and they're well executed.  Drumming is excellent, and is varied enough to stand out because of the seemingly effortless switch between groovy mid-paced drumming with tasteful fills and the propulsive double-bass driven rhythms that carry the music at high speed. Bass guitar is actually audible at times here, and is a nice addition to the musical landscape, even dominant at moments where it makes sense, like in the bridge section of "Way To the Stars".  I also like the variety of material, from the more speedy, upbeat numbers to slightly darker, mid-paced stuff, though a great deal of the album relies on a heavy speed emphasis.  The songs are also a bit more technically focused this time around, with "Future's Dawn" being a shining example, and in my opinion, the centerpiece of the album.  Never before has Seventh Avenue sounded this focused, yet still injecting variety and freshness throughout the album to keep it from becoming stale through its 70 minutes.  The only potential misstep on the album is the ballad "Innocence" toward the end, as it strays into Stryper "Honestly" territory a bit, but doggone it if the melody and heartfelt delivery don't draw you in and force you to like the song anyway.  If you don't mind ballads, you may enjoy it, and even if you do, it's still pretty listenable.

I've long said that vocalist Herbie Langhans was a bit of a loose cannon, vocally, on early Seventh Avenue material.  Some metal vocalists can get away with that because they have enough attitude or uniqueness in their delivery or approach to make it work, and make up for their shortcomings.  I never felt that way about Herbie, and the band's music suffered for it.  It wasn't until "Southgate" that I felt like he was beginning to come into his own, though that album had several cringe-worthy moments where I felt like a little more practice in the booth would have done the album good.  Starting with the next album, "Between the Worlds", however, Herbie has been on-point, and his talent developed even further with 2004's "Eternals".  This time around, Herbie is in top form, belting out vocal lines with as much precision as emotion, and giving quite possibly the performance of a lifetime.  He no longer sounds like a young, eager metal vocalist who needs to reign in the enthusiasm enough to gain control of his voice - he HAS control of his voice, perhaps now more than some of his contemporaries.  He has been compared to Hansi Kursch of Blind Guardian, and while there is a resemblance, I think his sound is more a reflection of many of the heavy hitters of the genre (Ralf Scheepers is another he is rightfully compared with).  Herbie can now rightfully be placed among the top tier vocalists in the genre, something his years of vocal development and hard work can be attributed to.

If you find the story captivating, the music exciting, and the overall presentation to your liking, you won't have much trouble sitting through 70+ minutes of music on this ride.  If power metal isn't your thing, this will not be the album to convert you unless you're a Herbert devotee looking for a nice segue into the genre.  However, metal fans who enjoy the grandiosity of Rhapsody but wish for less pomp and circumstance and more overt metal will find a lot to love about this release and rightfully so.  The band has turned in a near-masterpiece level work that rivals some of the better power metal concept records out there, even some of Rhapsody's work in the field.  For that, these Germans should be extremely proud, and their legacy should be firmly cemented into the collective consciousness of the power metal genre as a whole.  This album is so good, it borders on being essential to power metal fans, so I'm just going to say that if you are at all a fan of the style, this album is one you want in your collection, without question.  Buy or die.

90/100