Posted on: June 18, 2010 Posted by: AAA NeuFutur.com Comments: 0

While Keep of Kalessin is fast, individuals actually can understand what the hell that the lead vocalist is singing. This is a plus, for sure. While I am not sure if this is a plus or minus, the vocals cxrack and show some strain from out of the gate. It sounds almost as if the lead singer is going hoarser with each subsequent line that ey sings on “Armada”.

As for the instrumentation on the track, there is little to be said besides the band is stellar. This means that the arrangements touch on hair metal and classic metal before ultimately deciding on something resembling progressive (almost fantasy) metal. The band makes a bold gambit in placing their longest (or nearly longest) song up first (after the introduction). The one thing that individuals can immediately hear after a few minutes is that the band struggles at times to create new and exciting modifications to their arrangements. The band slips back into what has already been done quite often, and while this is not as much of a problem in a three or four minute track, it becomes a little worrisome during the six and seven minute journeys that Keep of Kalessin brings their listeners. “The Black Uncharted” does not fall into this trap quite as often as “Crown of the Kings”, but it seems to be something that Keep of Kalessin needs to work on for future albums.

When the band does a shorter track, as is the case with “Many Are We”, the band’s repetition of certain guitar lines and constructs will endear more fans to the act. Keep of Kalessin drop a number of the progressive elements from their general sound during “Many Are We”; this is a metal song done as if the band is from the early nineties instead of anything else. The fury in which they create this track will make individuals into the Maxell corporate logo; the band can rend with just guitar lines and double bass drumming. “Armada” is a furious album and even a few things that show that Keep of Kalessin is a human act cannot make individuals enjoy this album any less. The band strings together a solid album that will hold up to repeat plays and years of sitting on individuals’ shelves. For any fan of straight metal, with little bits of different metal genres bouncing in from time to time.

Top Tracks: Winged Watcher, Many Are We

Rating: 6.8/10

Keep of Kalessin – Armada / 2006 Candlelight / 10 Tracks / http://www.keepofkalessin.no / http://www.candlelightrecordsamerica.com / Reviewed 11 August 2006

[JMcQ]

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