'Anaria' is a symphonic metal formation that was created in 2012 with a first LP in 2014, 'Chronicle' and EPs featured on spotify 'Seasons of the Mind Vol. 1 Inception' in 2015 et 'Invocation' in 2017 and whose second studio recording 'Exile' was released at the end of 2020. Between rock and symphonic metal in a fairly classic style, we can read on their site : " 'Anaria' is a genre-defying band hailing from New England who experiments with symphonic metal, modern rock, cinematic scoring, and pop arrangements " which sums up what can be found in this latest opus. With 15 compositions, 'Exile' takes us on a short hour of heady melodies that are easily embedded in the head with first of all catchy titles like 'Omen' which opens the album in which 'Jessica Mercy' shows everything her talent in a register with clear vocals in the line of singers like 'Charlotte Wessels' or 'Sharon Den Adel' or 'Jennifer Haben', energy that we also find in 'Never Stop', 'Exsilium', 'Level Up', 'Hail to Your Queen' or even 'Sweet Prince'. Other titles are more relaxed while remaining powerful and 'Anaria' also excels in mid-tempos with addictive choruses and atmospheres alternating power and tranquility like 'Cursed' with its chorus which remains engraved in your head or the heady 'Waiting for the Night' or 'Leaving You Behind', 'Sacrilege', and 'Journey Do Not End' between ballads and mid-tempos or even 'Sands of Time' and its light oriental intonations. Finally, when the tempo is even quieter, the Americans offer us the ballad 'Haunted' that any symphonic metal formation would have liked to write. In summary, the Americans of 'Anaria' are releasing a quality album in a style where, given the multiple formations present, it is difficult to break through but they have all the assets so that we hear about them in the years to come because their compositions are very accessible which makes 'Exile' an opus that will certainly be well received by fans of symphonic metal and, beyond that, that should reach a fairly large audience thanks to melodic lines that we tame from the first listening... | |
