Band : Infinity Overture
Album title : The Infinity Overture, Pt. 1
Label : Lion Music
Distributor : Bertus
Release date : 21/01/2011
Release : CD

A little more than a year ago, this Danish band formed in 2005 by guitarist Niels Vejltt (who'd already released 2 instructional DVDs on guitar techniques with which he gained a good reputation in the Shred community, and at the time of which we speak had gotten to the point of teaching a large amount of new Danish guitarists) released its first album, the Symphonic Power Metal epic Kingdom Of Utopia (review of this conceptual album by colleague Erik Morren was posted on 09/11/2011). Well, back then the thing was really only a studio project including Ian Parry (Elegy, Ayreon, Consortium Project) as male guest singer, Lene Pedersen and Anne Karine Prip as his female counterparts (the latter in a lead position, actually), and Mads Damgaard as guesting keyboardist on one track. Also involved in the project were bassist Kyle Honea and drummer Mads Wolf (Manticora), and the Symphonic feel of things was enhanced by an actual orchestra.

One thing one needs to realize, is that the music on that debut album had had over 3 years of growth, and mirrored Niels' tastes in music for that period...but along the way his skills and tastes grew and broadened, and he grew weary of the explicit Power Metal feel of his debut album's material, a feeling which grew with each of the rare shows (only 4 in 2009, and 3 in 2010, one of which at Belgium's VeloRock festival) he did with his live band. At any rate, Parry was only a guest on the first album, and Krip wasn't even into Metal. So he decided to recruit a completely new band to play and record with. Niels already knew drummer Jakob Vand from having been in the band My Empty Room (meanwhile, a guy named Jesper Nielsenalso played in that band, and after the recordings of the new album he's been added to the band's live line-up as their second guitarist and keyboardist), and bassist Bernardo Fesch was apparently another obvious choice, as he and Niels go back quite a long way, even recording together. On lead female vocals, you now have one Kimmie Tenna Nielsen (picked after several auditions not only for her great voice but also for her personality, she turned out to be the perfect person for studio work as well, preparing in advance to the point of loosing as little time as possible). To complete the set-up during the recording sessions, Niels hired the help of some of his favourite singers, starting with Rhapsody Of Fire's Fabio Lione to perform lead male vocals on the album opening “The Hunger”. One Thomas Jensen (no idea which band he's from) contributes vocals to that same song, as well as to “Back From the Past”, each time with warm clean singing. But the additional male singing (the lead singing remains with Kimmie) is not limited to clean singing. In fact, Niels himself occasionally adds a growl or two, as do Simon Holm (most notably on Smoke And Mirrors, where he performs a duet...and in lesser degree on “Evernight”) and Hjalte Sejr Bertelsen (also on “Smoke and Mirrors”). The only person returning from the first album's list of guest musicians, is Mads Damgaard whom (in spite of also not being into Metal, and therefore having declined a position in IO's live band) contributes piano to the songs “Angels”, “Secrets”, and the album's title song. Niels called in the help of one of is other favourite singers, namely Amanda Somerville (besides her own 2 albums & 2 EPs, she's recorded with After Forever, Edguy, Kamelot, Epica, Avantasia, and collaborated on the Kiske-Somerville album) , to add her vocals to no less than 4 songs (in order of appearance on the album: “The Hhunger”, “Secrets”, “Smoke And Mirrors”, and the album title song)...and one Marie Frifelt added hèr vocals to two other songs (“Back To The Past” and “Darkness Of Mind”).

So, how is the new material different from IO's debut album? In essence, what Niels envisioned to do was to create a far more Progressive whole. He therefore began from a Neo-Classical basis, to which he added modern influences from Shred, but also occasionally still steps back to the Symphonic side of things. One also get a Gothic feel in those songs where the growls were used and, speaking overall, the album overall has a darker mood! According to Niels himself, the guitars are now far more dominating that on the debut, but that's not something I went out to compare at myspace.com/welcometoinfinity, where the band posted full versions of “Smoke And Mirrors” (for which a video clip – the band's first – was made last year...a new video, this time for the track “Angels” is in the finishing stages as we speak, sorry...write, or in your case...read) as well as 3 tracks off the debut. And with the recordings again supervised by Sascha Paeth, you're certain of good sound quality! Niels is a real busy-body: besides continuing to follow his pupils (partly through an online guitar school), he's also working on some film scores, and as we speak, famed producer Tommy Hansen should have finished mixing an instrumental album Niels recorded. At the same time, he's working on a movie script in collaboration with an actor, with whom he also hopes to work out some future video clip ideas.

90/100

Tony.