| CD REVIEW Serenity |
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Band : Serenity For an overview of this Austrian Symphonic Power Metal quintet, please consult the review (posted 25/03/2007) I did on the band's debut album Worlds Untold & Dreams Unlived. Following the release of that album, Serenity toured Europe in support of Threshold and Kamelot, two of the bands they had been compared to in reviews. No idea what live performances the band did after that (you might check out the band's website serenity-band.com for possible details... I personally haven't had the time to do that, and the promo copy of the album came with no info sheet what-so-ever). During the recordings of the new album Serenity profited from the extra imput of Everon's Oliver Phillips on the orchestral arrangements and Edenbridge's Lanvall for the vocal production. Mixing was done by none other than Jacob Hansen. In attendance of the sophomore album's release, the band threw themselves back onto the live circuit as soon as May 24th, when they put in an appearance at Germany's Rock Mania Festival (Dettelbach) alongside such acts as Atrocity, Dornenreich, Edenbridge, Gravenworm, Paradox, Tyr, and others. Shortly before that, the song "Reduced To Nothingness" off their debut was voted onto the #8 position in the category "Best Song On Sampler" by the readers of German magazine Rock It!, andon June 1st the band posted a Fallen Santuary Trailer at myspace.com/serenitybandtyrol. In the first days of July the band started work on their very first video clip, for the track "Velatum" offthe new album...and on the 17th of that month the clip was even posted at MySpace. In actuallity, the trailer and video constitute the only new material available (unless additions have occured in the meantime) at the band's MySpace (the site also containing 3 songs off the debut), but they give excellent insight in the band's "evolution" if you like...the label is somewhat adamant on calling things that way, personally I feel things have stayed quite well within the parameters of the debut. There àre however sóme differences, like there's no more Oriental touches anymore, the Symphonic part of the music now completely geared towards a Western one. "Sheltered (By The Obscure)" however doés have a Midiaeval touch in its opening. Then also I'm not sure if the band used growled/ grunted vocals on the debut, but on this album they at least occur in the tracks "Rust Of Coming Ages" and album closer "Oceans Of Fury". Lanvall's vocal production has given that part of the music a frequently occuring bombastic effect, which is certainly positive on the album overall. Other that that however, I would say the band's music has pretty much stayed the same (for details, please consult review of the debut)! I know, what the band offers as samples of their "growth" ain't exactly abundant, so maybe you should give the album a listening session at your local record store. Personally, I feel the album is of a somewhat unified high quality...which has the negative effect of also not having any exceedingly outstanding songs on the album. Still, the reader (and possible listener) may find his own preferences among the 10-tracks, and then call thém outstanding! You may, by example, be charmed by that semi-ballad "The Heartblood Symphony", which is somewhat of a duet...but don't ask me who did the female part, because details about that were not reveiled to me. Unconditional fans of the band may wanna hurry to get themselves the limited edition version of the album, as it contains both a bonus track called "Journey's End", and the aformentioned video clip. I'm sure the Japanese version of the album will contain yet another bonus track. 90/100 Tony. |