{"id":13916,"date":"2016-12-25T21:40:43","date_gmt":"2016-12-25T20:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/powerofmetal.dk\/?p=13916"},"modified":"2016-12-25T21:40:43","modified_gmt":"2016-12-25T20:40:43","slug":"noveria-forsaken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsite.powerofmetal.dk\/reviews\/noveria-forsaken","title":{"rendered":"Noveria – Forsaken"},"content":{"rendered":"

With a sound firmly rooted in the \u201cprog-power<\/em>\u201d split subgenre, Noveria<\/strong> come forth with a commanding sound.\u00a0 With all instruments on point and executed well, and singer Francesco Corigliano<\/strong> showing a good range with strong control, \u201cForsaken<\/strong>\u201d is a good effort for the Italian metal band.<\/p>\n

After the atmospheric short opening track in \u201cLost<\/strong>\u201d, the ball gets rolling with \u201cShock<\/strong>\u201d.\u00a0 The song\u2019s energetic and spastic opening with a feverish keyboard and guitar attack stays through the whole song.\u00a0 The first impression I get is of Symphony X<\/strong> in their prime, which is definitely not a bad thing, but it\u2019s also not the most terribly original concept these days.<\/p>\n

\u201cDenial<\/strong>\u201d follows with a bit more streamlined and accessible sound than the previous song with a good mid-paced groove and melodic aspects.\u00a0 A rousing tapping guitar solo from Francesco Mattei<\/strong> and a sweeping keyboard solo from Julien Spreutels<\/strong> was exciting and full of energy.\u00a0 \u201cWhen Everything Falls<\/strong>\u201d is a good option to go with for a more laid back song at this point on the album.\u00a0 This song works more like a single in the less eccentric way of looking at the band\u2019s music.\u00a0 The added vocals of Kate Nord<\/strong> only add a bit of flair to the overall ambiance of the song.\u00a0 Not out of my place mind you, but not necessarily needed if I\u2019m being honest.\u00a0 The pace quickens once again as expected on \u201cHatred\u201d<\/strong> after the previous slower song.\u00a0 The song trades off of the fast-paced riffery with a mid-paced flow.\u00a0 The guitar and keyboard solos are done well, but at this point they seem expected and they don\u2019t offer any rewarding surprises.<\/p>\n

By this point in the album, my interest has started to wane considerably.\u00a0 The rest of the tracks seem to go through the motions for me, and while played well, you pretty much know what to expect aurally and should have the formula figured out, which is a problem for me as I like a band to make me guess sometimes and throw me for a bit of a curve as to not sound complacent.<\/p>\n

While comparable to Symphony X<\/strong> in their bombastic prog-power style, it\u2019s only a paper comparison, and when looked at deeper, you realize how much Noveria<\/strong> could do to try and make a more original and better crafted sound to stand out from the pack.\u00a0 Even with the band playing exceptionally well, the music doesn\u2019t leave anything overly memorable for me to take away from it.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing to go back and get excited about.\u00a0 The formulaic moments and lack of overall originality hurt my excitement for a future release.<\/p>\n

\u201cForsaken<\/strong>\u201d starts out rather well and hard-hitting with a good energy and pace, but the lack of variety on the album seems to lose me at the halfway point.\u00a0 If this had have been an EP, then I would have been much more accepting of the sound, with no fear of my interest petering out before the end of the final song.\u00a0 However, the second-half of the album hammers home my point that it\u2019s better to make a powerful entrance and a strong exit than to come in roaring and leave me bored.<\/p>\n

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Tracklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n

01. Lost
\n02. Shock
\n03. Denial
\n04. When Everything Falls
\n05. Hatred
\n06. If Only
\n07. Isolate
\n08. (W) Hole
\n09. Regrets
\n10. Utopia
\n11. Acceptance
\n12. Archangel<\/p>\n

Playing time:<\/strong> 60:14<\/p>\n

Release date:<\/strong> 28 October, 2016<\/p>\n

Label:<\/strong> Scarlet Records<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> Official Noveria Website<\/a><\/p>\n