We left 'Helena Iren Michaelsen' with her two solo albums released in 2020 (see myprogmusic review here) and 2021 sees the release of a new 'Imperia' studio recording, after the very good 'Flames of Eternity' in 2019. And for this last opus, the formation released a double album with 14 compositions for one hour and twelve minutes with a change of line up since with the two pillars of the group, the guitarist 'Jan Yrlund' and the singer 'Helena Iren Michaelsen', the drummer 'Steve Wolz' has been replaced by 'Merijn Mol' who has often performed with 'Jan Yrlund' in past projects, 'Gerry Verstreken' still being the bass player.
And from the first compositions of the first CD, we tell ourselves that this last baby of 'Imperia' starts in the best possible way with the melodic hit 'Dream Away' which brings us back to the best symphonic metal formations, Helena doing a first vocal performance noticed with its high-pitched vocalizations, then 'Starlight' (see video here) continues in a symphonic-folk atmosphere with a heady new melody that can recall the folk side of the Swiss of 'Eluveitie' then, the addictive mid-tempo 'To Valhalla I Ride' takes us on the side of ' Imperial Age ' with the lyrical song of Helena close to the two Russian female singers. A new hit 'Flower and the Sea' follows which delivers catchy melodic lines with an irresistible desire to jump to the rhythm of the chorus, then 'Blindfolded' continues in this radiant atmosphere with rhythmic alternations and power bringing a slight progressive side and 'While I Am Still Here' which follows (see video above), softens the point by offering us a magnificent power ballad in the tradition of 'Invisible Tears', 'Spirit Chase' or still 'Broken Wings'. The second CD offers us equally endearing compositions with the catchy 'Only a Dream' dotted with some growls as 'Alexander Krull' can do with 'Leaves' Eyes', the ballad 'Where Are You Now' which is similar to melodic compositions sung in solo by Helena, the only difference being the contribution of the power of electric instruments in the refrain, then, 'I Still Remember' is another ballad this time much more in the style of 'Imperia', powerful and melancholy and the title 'Dancing', which follows, brings, as its name suggests, a festive side with a marked rhythm that makes you want to dance to the rhythm of music and with Far Eastern sounds. It is again with a magnificent ballad, 'My Other Half', that Helena charms us with her lyrical voice in a theatrical and symphonic style, the melodic lines approaching classical opera, then, 'One Day' brings us back to catchy symphonic metal with a catchy mid-tempo and the album ends smoothly with, first of all, a melancholic semi-acoustic 'I Send You My Love' quite removed from the symphonic metal and then the magnificent cover acoustic piano/voice from 'Let Down' from the album 'Secret Passion' from 2011.
In summary, 'Imperia' offers us a sumptuous album with a good balance between catchy compositions and ballads (the second part of the album containing five) and with a singer at the top of her art who continues to enchant us in all styles; 'The Last Horizon' shows that the formation led by guitarist 'Jan Yrlund' certainly delivers one of the most successful albums of his career which should appeal to all those who love a varied and accessible symphonic metal and, for my part, I hope that they will have the opportunity in the coming months to be able to present it in public... | |
