Syrens Call - Raging waters 4/5
Reviewed: 2-1-12
Tracklist:
1. Hang on to life
2. I'm your only one
3. Ashes of destiny
4. Cruel love
5. Perfidious paradise
6. Never come back home
7. Desecrated past
8. Relapse
9. One bloody kiss
10. The dance of light
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Syrens Call is a progressive power metal band from France and this is their 3rd studio CD. Their songs are generally bouncy and upbeat with interesting but never tiring complexity in the melodies, along with very catchy choruses and driving, energetic, lightly progressive, sometimes spacey, instrumentals. Most of the songs are guitar-driven, with the lead guitar providing most of the complexity and the rhythm guitar providing the crunch and catchiness; the keys are usually atmospheric except in the instrumentals, where they often provide additional melodic complexity to that of the lead guitar. Though pleasantly heavy, the power level of ‘Raging waters’ lies somewhere between heavy rock and metal. There are touches of spacey electronica throughout.
Their new female vocalist, Soraya Hostens, replaced their original vocalist, Valerie Paul, after their 2nd CD, ‘Emoceans’. Soraya has a strong, warm almost husky alto style that contrasts noticeably with the more usual soprano style in female vocal power and gothic metal. Although her range is somewhat limited, her delivery is unfailingly expressive, earnest and enthusiastic, and she integrates her vocal melodies seamlessly with the complexity in the guitar melodies. She is particularly enthusiastic and often quite dramatic on her choruses.
Although similar in style to ‘Emoceans’, ‘Raging waters’ is an unmistakable improvement in both songwriting and singing. The songs employ progressive influences to enrich and expand the already memorable melodies without ever disintegrating into noodling complexity for its own sake. Valerie was also more an alto than a soprano in her approach, but she lacked the strength and confidence that Soraya now brings to the songs. The most direct comparisons could be made to the bands Naamah and Solisia in terms of female vocal catchy progressive metal, but ‘Raging waters’ would also appeal to fans of Gwyllion, older Autumn and Lunatica who would also enjoy them with a more progressive slant.
CHRIS
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