Sublime serenity
At last a technical prog metal band that doesn't sound like a Dream Theater rip off, now obviously there are bits that sound like Dream Theater but as they re-wrote the prog metal book then that can't be helped really unless you want to sound like something from the 70's and The Flower Kings have that covered.
If you read any of the metal press or go to gigs then you will almost certainly have heard of Serenity as there seem to be flyers everywhere I go. Their new album arrives in the UK on 30th April 2007 and if you like a harder edge to your prog tech metal then go out and buy it.
Serenity, apart from sharing their name with one of the best sci-fi films of all time, are a bunch of talented musicians from Austria with an eye for a hook (that doesn't read right) and a charging style that at times reminds me of Kamelot. The second song 'Reduced to Nothingness' is a stand out track for me and features one of the best vocal parts I've heard in years, it's not particularly difficult to sing but fits so brilliantly whilst taking the song to a higher level and it's idea's like this that lift this album above the wannabe pretenders to the progressive power metal crown.
There's a nice acoustic instrumental to prove to your mum that they can play really but mostly were in galloping mode with keyboard driven metal featuring intricate guitar work and precise power drumming that sounds like it's been sweated over in the studio during mixing. The production is great. Especially so as they financed this album themselves and then secured a record/distribution contract.
The album swings through slow to fast, simple to complicated but all crafted to a high standard with guitar work that'll have people moving to the front of the crowd to get a good look. Singer Georg Neuhauser has that mainland Europe nasal quality to his vocals but that just separates him from UK singers it's not a bone of contention, anyone who listens to German metal will recognise it.
Napalm records seem to have really got behind this album and rightly so, too many brilliant cd's drop flat due to a lack of support from their record label and for some reason lots of utter crap gets promoted like it was the second coming. I hope this makes Serenity soar and they turn into another Kamelot I'm sure there's room for one more up top.