My last column of the Russians of Imperial Age' dates from 2020 with the 'Live on Earth (The Online Lockdown Concert)' and, in the meantime, strong of this concert given in streaming with an impressive number of views, they did it again with another concert given on December 26, 2021 with the participation of a chamber orchestra and a choir, a performance that brought together nearly 100,000 internet users and an extract of which can be seen on youtube with the latest Russian hit (see video above), a composition that makes also part of the latest album released at the end of August, 'New World', which is the subject of this review. For this last opus, I quote 'Aor' ('Alexander Osipov'): "it is not a concept album, and the subject will no longer be about ancient civilizations. The album will talk about freedom, exploring, going beyond borders and finding your own way. It's a bit like when you feel inside that modern society is not for you and you are looking to find something completely different. This is what gives the album its name. ". This theme is particularly strong for them at the moment, since they have taken a stand on the war in Ukraine and four of the band members have left Russia.
With the same line up as the live of 2020 and faithful to their previous productions, they offer us an epic and catchy symphonic metal from the first listen with for this opus 7 rather short titles and a long development of more than 18 minutes (we will come back to this). Regarding the first 7 titles, 'Windborn' opens the ball with a mid-tempo with an addictive first melody which gives an irresistible desire to accompany the song and which automatically starts the foot tapping machine, then, the title song (see the video above) adds a melodic nugget in a faster atmosphere but just as endearing as the first title, the sung parts being always admirable by highlighting the three vocal registers respectively of mezzo-soprano for Jane , soprano for Anna and tenor for Alexander. Follows 'The Way is the Aim' which continues in this voice and which, in the form of a ritornello spinning in a loop in our head, in addition to the magnificent vocal parts, adds a beautiful catchy instrumental section in the second part of the title. With 'To the Edge of the Known' the epic symphonic side is at its peak and the vocal exchanges between Alexander and the two singers in the verses are remarkable, the three singers coming together for a grandiose chorus amplified by flamboyant keyboards, then ' The Wheel' adds a new unifying melody, just like 'Shakless of God', which follows, with a folk/metal side brought by the violin and 'Distant Shores' closes the unstoppable melodies with an alternation between aerial and dancing verses and a chorus with grandiose choirs accompanied by a roaring rhythm section. We arrive at the main course of the album, the symphonic-progressive saga 'Call of the Towers' which is a lush epic with all the ingredients of this kind of compositions and which unfolds on a slow rhythm, an imposing melody highlighting always masterful vocal arrangements, the clear and lyrical songs intertwining and the instrumental passages spicing up the whole with imposing symphonic atmospheres like this passage with resplendent church organs.
In summary, the Russians of Imperial Age', despite all the roadblocks brought by the events of the last two years, release a new album showing that they continue to offer us this unique style of the symphonic metal scene by offering epic and luxuriant atmospheres that they draw from their roots with this vocal music which has taken a very important place in Russia, in particular, thanks to the various world-famous choirs... | |
