Legendary symphonic metallers, Kamelot, return with their first full-length album in five years, The Awakening.
The opening “Overture” sets up the album really nicely. Its short cinematic prescence allows for it to really add atmosphere to “The Great Divide” before the darkly hopeful eternal farewell to a loved one. “Eventide” manages to still maintain its emotion even though being one of the faster, heavier tracks of the album.
My highlight track comes in the form of “One More Flag in the Ground” with its message of overcoming seemingly unbeatable odds and the mental challenges we all face. The pace, atmosphere and added operatics all make for a great combination. It leads us into “Opus of the Night” which features a dual solo from guitarist Thomas Youngblood and guest cellist Tina Guo.
The album takes a directional shift with the slow, folk style “Midsummer’s Eve” before the combination of “Bloodmoon” and “Nightsky” brings the album back to the melodic power metal styles that Kamelot do so effortlessly. If ever further proof is needed, then following “The Looking Glass” is the synth laden “New Babylon”. This song features guest vocals courtesy of Ad Infinitum’s Melissa Bonny and solidifies the band’s knack for superior symphonic theatricality.
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Appearing later than expected is the piano laden ballad “Willow”. I’m a sucker for a good ballad and once again it’s a track I really enjoyed. It moves into penultimate the “My Pantheon”‘ which boasts some of the album’s heaviest moments and most complex guitar solos, so the combination of the two complement each other really well. The album closes out as it started with an instrumentally cinematic piece, “Ephemera”, and concludes what has been been another great addition to the band’s legacy.
Kamelot guitarist Thomas Youngblood says:
With The Awakening, we have one of our most diverse albums in years. We’ve fused elements from progressive, power and gothic metal to symphonic and melodic metal on this one. Working with incredible guest artists from around the music industry and having producer Sascha Paeth and Jacob Hansen mixing gave us another step up on overall sound. This album offers everything to Kamelotfans and also reaches beyond borders to new metal and hard rock legions.
Huge melodies with anthemic power.
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The Awakening is out on March 17th
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