In the realm of grandiose symphonic metal, the Dutch from'Epica' are the spearhead and have been offering us sumptuous albums for over twenty years now. But younger groups appeared in the 2010s and if there is one that attracts all the attention, it is the Finns from 'Lost In Grey'. I discovered them in 2017 with their first album 'The Grey Realms' and since then, time has passed with two other sumptuous studio recordings, 'The Waste Land' in 2019 and 'Under The Surface' in 2021. 2024 sees the release of their latest baby, 'Odyssey into the Grey' which confirms all the good what I thought of them, and which offers us 60 minutes of symphonic metal in eight compositions exceeding every five minutes. The line up has evolved somewhat because, around the leader 'Harri Koskela', the guitar section has expanded since in addition to 'Jarno Suodenjoki', 'Miika Haavisto' joined the group, 'Andi Kravljača' being still invited on three tracks to enrich the already well-stocked vocal section.We are greeted with the seven minutes of 'The Entourage' which sets the scene for this epic symphonic style and filled with grandiose choirs (magnificent children's choirs) in which 'Anne Lill Rajala' and 'Emily Leone' form a delicious vocal duet (see the video above), 'Andi Kravljača' bringing a very theatrical side to his singing and the catchy melodic side bringing almost immediate accessibility. Follows 'The Bottomless Pit' which has nothing to envy of its predecessor and which offers beautiful rhythmic alternations and intensities bringing this progressive side which allows us to stay in suspense throughout the title by offering us new choruses that the we have an irresistible desire to accompany in the unifying chorus (see the video here), then, 'Time' follows suit in a composition flirting with 9 minutes which brings palpable emotion thanks to sumptuous vocal arrangements on a rhythmic mid-tempo which benefits at the end of the title from an extraordinary vocal power bringing all the force necessary for this type of composition and which ends by a magnificent decrescendo: simply beautiful! After so much sound richness, 'Two Wolves' comes as a counterpoint to take us into a Nordic folkloric atmosphere, the disturbing atmosphere bringing a beautiful diversity, then, 'A New Dawn' comes to charm us with a power ballad in which the alternation between the melancholic female vocals and the rough vocals of Harri Koskela' provide a striking contrast. With 'Vem Kan Segla Förutan Vind', we are taken into another three-beat ballad which further raises the emotional slider with moving children's choirs on a gripping melody sung in Swedish bringing a poignant authenticity, the a cappella finale triggering me multiple thrills of pleasure. We continue our beautiful journey with 'Hailuoto' which adds a beautiful moment of serenity bathed in a touching delicacy which was the subject of a very beautiful video that you can view on YouTube here. After this beautiful moment of respite, the title song is a very good summary of the album and takes us into an epic symphonic saga of 11 minutes with all the ingredients of what the Finns can offer us: admirable vocal arrangements with choirs sumptuous, alternations between powerful parts and others much calmer (very beautiful recitative by Harri Koskela) and a gripping finale on a melody that we still have in our heads for a long time, the last note gone.In summary, there is no need to draw a picture for you to tell you that the Finns of 'Lost In Grey' have struck another big blow with this new opus which alternates grandiose atmospheres and others much more delicate which brings a magnificent diversity in these eight compositions, the big strength being of course the admirable vocal and instrumental arrangements and we can only hope that this 'Odyssey into the Grey' propels 'Lost In Grey' into the sphere of essential symphonic metal bands...
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