In my opinion, power metal lives and dies by the sword A band can have the greatest guitar wizardry in the universe, the widest vocal range humanly imaginable, and the most raucous percussive acrobatics, but I need a chorus that makes me want to scream to the heavens to tie it all together. Others might offer a different experience, but I have yet to encounter a power metal record without big, mind-blowing choruses that have stuck with me for over two weeks. Armed with this unshakeable condition in my mind, body, and soul, I approach Australia’s symphonic power metal troupe Carmelia and their second album Love Tragedy.
CarmeliaThe first disc of, new arrivalsspanning over an hour of sumptuous, but often basic, symphonic power metal. People familiar with the intervening period Kamelot, SerenityAnd The Seventh Wonder would instantly recognize the plan these Australians had in place. As you might guess, one of the record’s greatest strengths was its choruses. That strength not only carries over into this new release, but also blossoms with a new, vivid brilliance. Embracing the gothic romanticism of HIM and translate it into ridiculously catchy love songs that recall the same indelible contagion as many others Night Flight OrchestraThe successes of, Love Tragedy represents a well-written and delicious clinic of gigantic choirs, supported by decent, if still unremarkable, power metal instrumentation.
Even on their weakest cuts, CarmeliaThe chorus is one of the most memorable tracks I’ve heard this year. Massive, stadium-shaking numbers like “Thorns” and “Leading the Lyre” are sure to please the crowd, with soaring lines and muscular kicks working in tandem to ignite the soul with surging fire. “Call Forth My Sorrow,” “A Thousand Winter Rains,” and “Shadow’s Throne” represent the heaviest tracks, showcasing CarmeliaThe album’s surprisingly strong and hard-edged vocals while delivering deadly sharp vocal and percussive riffs around every corner. Meanwhile, the gorgeous, fleeting ballad “Whispers of Forgiveness” evokes an ancient, mystical tone that maximizes the seriousness deeply imbued throughout the record. In a way, this track – despite being the lightest and gentlest application of CarmeliaThe sound of ‘s—represents the bleeding heart of the record, the source from which the desperately romantic emotions that fill it spring. Love Tragedy springs.
And yet, Love TragedyThe argument of ‘s unreal value for memorability cannot obscure the relative lack of showmanship displayed by the guitars and synths. Where bands like Kamelot And Night Flight Orchestrato draw from two different pools, both effectively use catchy and memorable writing for their guitars And synthesizers, Carmelia‘s writing lacks flair in neither area. An overwhelming majority Love TragedyThe riffs, leads and solos lack any distinct personality, with the rare exceptions of the beautiful acoustic accompaniment of “Whispers of Forgiveness”, the main themes of “Leading the Lyre” or the gnarly synth solo in the last third of “Call Forth My Sorrow”. As a result, CarmeliaThe instrumental material is never strong enough to play a supporting role to the vocals. This in turn leaves great potential for even greater musicianship that could have transformed a totally fun record into an undeniable spectacle.
It is interesting to note that, despite my initial assertion that power metal needs strong choral work to resonate with me, CarmeliaThe latest version of needed more robust instrumentation to be great. Love TragedyThe choruses are without a doubt some of the best I’ve heard this year, none of them missing the mark. However, that metallic essence brought by the guitars and the whimsy brought by the synths leave a lot to be desired. With more inventive instrumentation, this album could have easily threatened the number one spot of my year for new releases. As is, Love Tragedy remains a very enjoyable and easily replayable record, tailor-made to uplift you and make you sing.
Rating: GOOD!
DR: 6 | Revised format: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-publishing
Websites: facebook.com/CarmeriaMusic | carmeria.bandcamp.com/music
Worldwide releases: August 23, 2024
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