Decidedly, the start of the school year in September is under the sign of new symphonic metal albums and it is the turn of the Belgians of 'Gallia' to release their first LP 'Obscura' which will certainly make noise in the small world of metal. symphonic. Created in 2014 by guitarist 'Yannick Maris' and bassist 'Laurens Vandebroek', it is Yannick who is the main composer of the group, and, in their press kit, the Belgians present themselves very fairly as " a female fronted, 4-headed, Belgian cinematic metal band. Cinematic metal? Yes, this band creates symphonic metal with an amount of epicenes and storytelling that would fit a dark fantasy trilogy on the big screen. It combines bombastic orchestration, choir elements and imaginative lyrics with heavy guitar riffs and hard-hitting drums. It’s a beautiful melting pot of the best of both worlds. It scratches the itch for movie-lovers, fantasy-geeks and metalheads alike." And indeed, after the release of the first EP 'Everflame' in 2019 which already showed impressive maturity, 2022 sees the release of the first LP 'Obscura' which continues the story begun with 'Everflame': in short, it is the story of the band whose mission is to keep the flame alive, synonymous with 'hope. Thanks to their hard work to achieve this goal, it will allow them, by remaining united, to return to a life of freedom and to find a new world which they travel and of which each song of Obscura' tells the discovery of a new part of it.
Musically, we are indeed in the very definition of epic symphonic metal which remarkably combines the theatricality of classical symphonic music with metal. After the introduction 'Aperture' which gently increases the pressure with a clock ticking and strings which draw a disturbing atmosphere, 'Return To Time' tumbles and delivers us an explosive first composition with everything we wants to find in symphonic metal: a rhythm to make an entire audience headbang, sharp guitar riffs, orchestral arrangements adding to the breadth of the whole, a very catchy melody and a singer who has nothing to envy to the best frontwomen of the genre, I named 'Elyn Vandenwyngaert' who, thanks to her classical training, has the necessary power for this style of music. Follows 'Blackout Queen' which offers a catchy melody and a break of original intensity on the finale bringing a very beautiful diversity to this very beautiful title which could make jealous among 'Nightwish' and 'Epica'. Without transition, 'Mirage' begins with a ritornello in a waltz time taken by barrel organ sounds reminiscent of old French songs and which unfolds an addictive melody that never leaves you with very beautiful breaks returning to the ritornello, 'Elyn Vandenwyngaert' adding a palpable emotion to this atmosphere and the finale falling superbly in a few piano notes. With 'Reflection', the musical inventiveness of 'Yannick Maris' continues with a music box that we wind up and which delivers a few melodious notes quickly overtaken by the power of the electric instruments in a remarkable epic and theatrical atmosphere, then, 'Path of the Nomad' deploys a grandiose and catchy symphonic atmosphere with a new catchy chorus and a rhythm that automatically activates the toe-tapping machine. Small symphonic / folk break with 'Free Me' which delivers peaceful melodic lines, the strings bringing a romantic side to the whole, and which serves as an introduction to 'Spirit of the Sea' which flirts with folk metal on a rhythmic marked and which offers very beautiful vocal arrangements and a nice break in intensity in the middle of the title bringing an admirable originality. We find a heavier metal with 'Chaos' which develops new catchy melodic lines in a majestic atmosphere, and which is embellished with a very beautiful oriental break taken up all in power by the electric instruments, then, 'Euphoria' begins with an instrument traditional in an exotic atmosphere which presents a new addictive melody conducive again to the headbang. We arrive at the last two titles and, like a final bouquet following the fireworks, 'Tears Of Gold' develops seven minutes of an inventive symphonic metal summarizing well this extraordinary album then, 'New World' delivers us a magnificent mix between a first part in the form of a ballad on which we abandon ourselves completely listening to the melodious singing of 'Elyn Vandenwyngaert' and a second, brought gently by tribal percussions, proposing a grandiose finale with imposing choruses which spin this shiver so characteristic of an intense listening pleasure (I would have liked to take a small dose of it to lengthen this very beautiful title!).
In summary, the Belgians of 'Gallia' enter directly by the great door of symphonic metal and deliver us an exceptional first album both musically and in terms of the proposed concept and, if I have already praised this year some new symphonic metal formations, I have the impression that Obscura' will be my favorite symphonic metal album of 2022... | |
