As is well documented throughout music history, the biggest change a band can make in terms of lineup is their singer. Guitarists and drummers are skilled enough to be chameleons and play note-for-note renditions of songs written by former members, but bring in a new vocalist and there is more onus on changing a sound and style to fit their natural abilities. Spare a thought, therefore, for Canadian outfit The Agonist, who had to deal with former frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz departing to join Arch Enemy last year after building up a healthy head of steam with the release of their previous three albums from 2007’s Only Once Imagined through to the cracking Prisoners of 2012. Now though, the band are back with new vocalist Vicky Psarakis, plucked from the world of YouTube, and Eye of Providence, released once more via Century Media.
It’s probably worth starting with the biggest question of all – how noticeable is Alissa’s departure? Well, from the onset and the opening double of singles ‘Gates of Horn and Ivory’ and ‘My Witness Your Victim’, it seems business as usual: the familiar blast beats and harsh vocals, the storming guitar solos and the air that, sooner or later, you’ll have the molecules on your face rearranged atom by atom. However, it only takes one listen to ‘Faceless Messenger’ and you’ll soon be asking who Miss White-Gluz even IS any more. I don’t say that lightly either – The Agonist have always been a powerful, ferocious outfit but Psarakis has an operatic element to her clean vocals that give them a much sharper edge than before. Even more impressively, she can effortlessly go from the heady heights of her range right down to the screams and growls that her predecessor is so famed for in, well, the blink of an eye. It’s not the only standout moment; it’s not even the best song. That firmly falls to ‘Disconnect Me’ which will shatter eardrums with the force of a beautifully aimed Molotov cocktail and then serenade you as the flames from said cocktail crackle around you. Elsewhere, ‘Danse Macabre’ canters through with a a huge, Killswitch Engage-esque riff whilst ‘A Gentle Disease’ lives up to its title and gives you a nice four minute respite from all the mayhem, allowing The Agonist to showcase their softer side. The album finishes in familiar, sonic fashion, but it’s brilliant to see a wide range of changes and styles to display the band’s versatility.
When you follow The Agonist for the first time on Twitter, the site helpfully recommends you to also follow their former bandmate and the group she left them for. On the basis of Eye of Providence, those pages won’t be shown for much longer; The Agonist are charging forward into a new, very bright chapter.
Band lineup
Vicky Psarakis – vocals
Danny Marino – guitar
Pascal ‘Paco’ Jobin – guitar
Chris Kells – bass
Simon McKay – drums
Track Listing
Gates of Horn and Ivory
My Witness Your Victim
Danse Macabre
I Endeavour
Faceless Messenger
Perpetual Notion
A Necessary Evil
Architects Hallucinate
Disconnect Me
The Perfect Embodiment
A Gentle Disease
Follow The Crossed Line
As Above So Below
Links
http://www.facebook.com/theagonistofficial
http://www.twitter.com/theagonist
http://www.instagram.com/theagonistofficial
http://www.youtube.com/theagonistofficial
- £11.99