Saturday, October 11, 2008

DARKWELL - Metatron


DARKWELL
Metatron
Napalm Records - 2005
8/10




Darkwell straddles the line between Goth and power metal quite masterfully. It’s a prerequisite that the listener enjoys operatic female vocals, but for those fans who can appreciate the style, the wickedly beautiful, red-tressed Stephanie Luzie does the job wonderfully.

Her soulful harmony on tracks such as “Strange” and “Crown Of Thorns” is purely angelic. The group concentrates on manifesting wide soundscapes for Luzie to glide over, as the singer so gracefully does on “The Machine”. Keyboard accents give the music a well rounded feeling that moves from darkwave to pagan styling effortlessly. Guitar-wise, you’ll find galloping rhythms, piercing harmonics and dead on heavy power riffing that gives the group’s tunes a dark impression.

Although some of Luzie’s phrasing is decidedly European, her vocalizations have the ability to ring through across cultural boundaries as she so eloquently does on the funeral minded symphony “Nothingness”, where the singer reaches for soothing whispers as well as soaring aural stimulation that belies her high degree of vocal talent.

It is her performance that is the primary focus of “Metatron” and well it should be as she’s one of the most gifted operatic female vocalists in metal today.


Written By: Lewis Spiker

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