PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
‘V’ represents the bands (yes, you guessed it) fifth studio album, and contains some of the best melodic and progressive Rock you will have the pleasure of listening to during the present calender year.
Based in Australia, the band have been steadily progressing in terms of popularity, having become the first Aussie band to appear at the prestigious Progpower U.S.A. festival, as well as securing support slots with the likes of Epica, Rhapsody Of Fire and others.
So, back to the album then. Whilst the band would happily dwell under the umbrella of Progressive Rock, they have many more avenues for the listener to explore, dabbling as they do, with elements of Synth driven Pop along the way. However, the main thrust of the song writing and composition is based around an irresistible core of melody, and played with an obvious enthusiasm and joy that duplicates really well on the finished article.
Daniel Estrin on vocals, is particularly impressive throughout, having a genuine warmth and depth to his delivery, aided by a varied and accomplished vocal range, ’The Domination Game’ being a great track to illustrate the point. One member does not make a band or a great album though, and that is true here also, Simone Dow’s guitar work is nothing short of sublime, combining a controlled yet powerful sound, smattered with melodic hooks and riffs that tick all the right boxes.
‘V’ works on a number of levels, whilst there are without doubt standout tracks, the excellent ’It’s A Wonder’, the incredibly catchy ’Breaking Down’ to name but two, the latter has ’single’ written all over it by the way, the album has a certain cohesive and conjoined feel to it, each track leading into the next with consummate ease, ending in a very enjoyable body of work. Having said that, I thoroughly recommend listening to ‘Summer Always Comes Again’ though, as I found it so different to most tracks on the album, a song that had me drifting away on a tide of emotion, superb stuff indeed.
Whether this album is a commercial success or not, is completely immaterial in my view. At the very least, it should serve to engage and win over many more fans to the bands ranks, quality albums like ’V’ are becoming ever scarcer in the saturated marketplace of today but that undeniable quality on show, should guarantee many well deserved accolades.
Track Listing;
1. Hyperventilating
2. Breaking Down
3. A Beautiful Mistake
4. Fortune Favours The Blind
5. You The Shallow
6. Embrace The Limitless
7. Orpheus
8. The Domination Game
9. Peacekeeper
10. It’s A Wonder
11. The Morning Light
12. Summer Always Comes Again
13. Seasons Of Age
Voyager are;
Daniel Estrin – Vocals, Keyboards
Simone Dows – Lead Guitar
Scott Kay – Guitar
Alex Canion – Bass
Ashley Doodkorte – Drums
Out now via Incendia
- £8.99
