On disc: Kamelot

 
 Eternity
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
 Dominion
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
 The Fourth Legacy
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Karma
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Epica
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 The Black Halo
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 One Cold Winter's Night (DVD)
 
- Victor Kztyo -
 
  


 
 Ghost Opera
 
- Victor Kzyto -
 
 


 
 Ghost Opera
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Ghost Opera - The Second Coming
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Poetry For The Poisoned
 
- Gisela Schmitz -
 
 

Poetry For The Poisoned

(earMUSIC - 2010)



 
 

 

Finally the waiting is over and the new Kamelot album Poetry For The Poisoned is available. Kamelot offer an atmospheric masterpiece. The 14 songs show Kamelot with a different sound, the songs need time to grow, but have a lot to offer. They haven't left behind the melodic power metal structures, but spiced up the known sound with progressive elements. This time Kamelot welcomed a few guests incl. Epica's Simone Simons, Björn Strid (Soilwork) and Jon Oliva. One thing's for sure, Poetry For The Poisoned is an album for lovers of sophisticated sounds. They just continue what they started with Ghost Opera. The opener is called The Great Pandemonium, an electrifying song which is also the first single. The song is special due to the solemnly spoken strophe, the female backing vocals, great guitar leads and Björn Strid's growls which build a counter part to Khan's clean vocals. Next in line If Tomorrow Came, another killer track. The 1-minute interlude Dear Editor is about the Zodiac killer who was active in the late 60's and leads over to The Zodiac. The part of Zodiac is impersonated by Jon Oliva who gives the tune the special something. Hunter's Season can score with its orchestral passages which are well embedded. Then they give time to breath, House On A Hill is a very emotional tune which gets ennobled by Simone Simons - goose-bumps guaranteed. The album's highlight is without a doubt the title track which is split up into 4 parts. Pt. I: Incubus shows the symphonic, bombastic side of Kamelot and focus on Khan's vocals. Same can be said about Pt. II: So Long, even if this one is more balladesque and features Simone Simons. Pt. III: All Is Over is based on heavy riffs and again Simone Simons' voice makes this one shine. And with Pt. IV: Dissection the title track is finished, but all songs can stand on their own. The closer is called Once Upon A Time, a powerful tune which needs a few spins to show its beauty.

Kamelot created an album which needs time to grow, but Poetry For The Poisoned is one of the best releases in 2010! Let them enchant you!

 
 










Gisela Schmitz

(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
up 













Ghost Opera - The Second Coming

(Steamhammer - 2008)



 
 

 

With Ghost Opera - The Second Coming Kamelot present a re-release of their last years album Ghost Opera. To discuss, if this re-release makes sense or not, is something only fans can answer for themselves. On the first disc you find the whole Ghost Opera album - like the initial release, see the Ghost Opera review - plus 2 video clips. The promotional video clip of The Human Stain and a live shoot of Momento Mori recorded in Belgrade.

On disc 2 you get a live set, recorded in Belgrade. It kicks off like the Ghost Opera album with Solitaire. Everybody who saw Kamelot live knows about their quality as a live band. At this show the band concentrated on Ghost Opera plus a few tunes from The Black Halo. In my opinion Thom's guitar should be a bit more upfront... But Khan is brilliant! The sound is powerful and clear. One of the highlights is surely The Haunting where they again were joined by Simone Simons (Epica). Towards the end they present a new tune with Epilogue. Khan dedicates this one to the fans. The track starts slowly with keyboard and vocals. A beautiful, touching ballad!

Beside the live set they offer 3 songs from the studio - including Epilogue - and a remix of Rule The World. Seasons End shows them more mid-paced with orchestral background, a melancholy note and quite catchy. And also Pendulous Fall would have fit to the album - and the songs are far from being weak or fillers! Just the others fit better to the concept, even if it ain't a conceptual album.

Only the last track, the remix of Rule The World is a filler in my eyes, but it shows that they open to experiments - even if I prefer the original.

As I said before this release is like a two-edged sword. Ghost Opera is a brilliant album and the live recording is pure fun. Everybody who has the original Ghost Opera has to made up his / her mind, if the live disc is important to have. The double CD is available for the price of a regular CD. Die-hard fans will buy it anyway, fans of the genre who don't have the album yet, this is the time!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 










Ghost Opera

(Steamhammer - 2007)



 
 

 

The Floridian band Kamelot is back with their latest opus called Ghost Opera. The album is kicked off by a violin intro - Solitaire. The short violin intro leads into Rule The World - a symphonic tune with a interesting drum pattern and partly with a slightly Oriental touch. Roy Khan's vocals remind me here and there of Nights In Arabia... But due to Khan's unique vocal style it isn't a big surprise, especially due to the Arabic / Oriental touch. With the following track, the title track Ghost Opera, they speed up a bit. And again Kamelot show that guitarist Thom Youngblood has a talent to write songs which catch you instantly and which have a unique sound. Mr. Youngblood created a movie soundtrack for a movie yet to make. Part of The Human Stain is the ticking of clock adds some dark, almost threatening atmosphere. And it gets more threatening on Blücher with due to the sounds of war in the background, but at the same time Khan's voice has something hopeful. A balladesque and powerful song is Love You To Death which calms down the atmosphere. And beside the orchestral parts they again add some female vocals, something Kamelot fans would really miss. The guitar solo of Thom Youngblood is hooking you up in the middle of the song. Not a demonstration of skills, but a song supporting emotional one. The song has a bittersweet touch. With Up Through The Ashes it gets bombastic! An epic tune with more then just some strings! Even if the violin sound is most important. At the distorted vocal part I have to think of Conception... One track of Flow, but I can't fathom it. Its on the tip of my tongue... Mourning Star also has some distorted vocals, but sounds different... Perhaps not the strongest tune on Ghost Opera, but also no filler! A touching tune is Anthem. Very reduced... Khan's voice and piano and orchestral parts build the playground for this ballad. Even if it gets a bit more powerful towards the end... More bombastic and epic. A song which live will give you goose bumps due to the intensity of the song. Last, but not least EdenEcho which is a typical up-tempo tune in the Kamelot style. And is hooking you up right away!

Another masterpiece from Kamelot who have just presented strong releases since The Fourth Legacy! There aren't many bands who this can be said about!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 










Ghost Opera

(Steamhammer - 2007)



 
 

 

Kamelot's new album takes us to hear a very mature band, that without sacrifice their sound and personality, take another step in the music. The new keybord player Oliver Palotai debuts with a fantastic performance. Solitaire opens this album with an violin instrumental intro and then Rule The World show us what I'm talking about - a great song, not so fast, but powerful. The single Ghost Opera sounds a lot like the last two albums including the theatrical concept, and the video (for those who haven't watch it) its awesome! The Human Stains and the thundering bass of Glenn Barry its another piece of art, and then Blücher seems to be the long awaited speed song from the album, but no... Mr. Paeth did another great job - and keep us waiting for the damn velocity!

Love You To Death is a beautiful ballad, I really like the guitar solo of this one. Up Through The Ashes is another heavy song, slow with a great choir, making you headbanging all the five minutes you hear it. With a Gregorian-like choir starts Mourning Star - another excellent song - and then Silence Of The Darkness takes us into speed! Hell yeah!!

Anthem give us a breath, a charming song asking for hope and another great ballad, and for the closing act, Edenecho is perfect to made the progressive metal fans wanting for more of this magnificent band, but that's going to happen till the next album and I join them hoping for that to take not too long…..
 
 










Victor Kzyto


  
up 










One Cold Winter's Night (DVD)

(SPV - 2006)



 
 

 

At least we can enjoy a DVD of one of the greatest bands of the last years! The finest American band takes us to the really coldest country on this planet - Norway (actually Russia is the coldest country on Earth! - Claudia) to see a show to remember!

A lot of great songs from the start to the very end, that includes between others Forever, Center Of The Universe, Karma and many more, but only Nights Of Arabia from the old Kamelot stuff, and that's a shame, because a lot of people that never had the chance to see them live, will not enjoy that time. But the people of Oslo who were present on that cold winter's night not only enjoys Kamelot on stage. Simone Simons, the beautiful singer of Epica that sings with Khan on The Haunting, the band's long time friend and producer Sasha Paeth that plays guitar on Moonlight, Mari Youngblood (Tom's wife, I guess), Elisabeth Kjaernes and a choir trio that takes the music to another level, and Snowy Shaw (yes, the guy that used to play drums with King Diamond) as Mephisto on the same named song.

For the bonus DVD the videos for The Haunting, Mephisto and Serenade are a cool stuff, but the interviews, member bios and slides shows are something awesome for the real fans of the band, but for someone that's juts becoming familiar with the Kamelot universe it could be really boring. And once again, they could put something of the old stuff on the bonus DVD, lets hope we can see that on the next one, and that's something I could not wait to happen!
 
 






Victor Castillo


  
up 










The Black Halo

(Sanctuary - 2005)



 
 

 

The Americans delivered several good albums through the years and with their latest release which is called The Black Halo they follow their chosen path. With Epica they started to re-tell the story of Goethe's Faust. Now with The Black Halo they present the second part of the story. With the opener March Of Mephisto they begin the travel. This is also one of the catchier tracks. The story demands tragic and emotional parts, so the band is this time more progressive and use longer instrumental parts then in their past. The band sound tight and all this is crowned by the vocal performance of Roy Khan. Due to the more complexe parts some songs need more time to show their beauty. The album opener as well as the title track are good picks to check this album out. Even if When The Lights Are Down is not an earcatcher the refrain is very catchy. The song Abandoned is a beautiful balladesque song. Reduced to piano, vocals and some strings, later the band joins in. A bombastic balladesque track with additional female vocals. Another highlight of The Black Halo. Or check out Momento Mori – perhaps the best song of the album. Here you find all the different elements and so gives a good idea about this album, even if one song can't 'describe' an album.

It's incredible how Roy Khan transports the different emotions. He seems to live this. He's definitely one of the best singers of progressive power metal.

So far this is their masterpiece and it won't be easy to meet the quality standard they now set for their own work. Hopefully more people will discover this fantastic band and come to see them live. They deserve it!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 










Epica

(Sanctuary - 2002)



 
 

 

The new album of the Floridian-Norwegian quartet starts with Prologue which sounds like a mixture of classical orchestra sounds and a dim of fire, birds and other animals of the jungle, but after about a minute Center Of The Universe leads you into the new world of Kamelot. Again Kamelot combines fast double bass drumming with a heavy grooving bass, melodic guitar riffing and the unique voice of Roy Khan. More or less what we know from the band for a few years, just a little better! On Center Of The Universe they work with breaks, Roy Khans voice takes over the lead and a female voice joins in, then back to the main theme of the song. Farewell starts fast, then slows down for a few seconds and the slower part lives from the intense drum rhythm of Casey Grillo who is doing an excellent job again. Several times the band uses instrumental parts with & without choirs to build a bridge between the songs. On Interlude I (Opiate Soul) a choir gives the piece of music a medieval touch and reminds me of Therion's choirs... The Edge Of Paradise is a mid-tempo track with a bombastic touch. The chorus is catchy. A break first leads the listener into an instrumental part which then speeds up a little to get back to the choir almost à capella. The band of guitarist Thom Youngblood worked again with unusual instruments, but always in the typical way of Kamelot. Wonder starts with a guitar which stays in the background to support the unique voice of Roy Khan. A slow, balladesque tune. A little later the band joins in, but also stays in the musical background, only during the choirs come a little more up front. A ballad which enchants you and the majestic vocals do their part.
The band is stronger then ever and on the way to the top! A good tour for Epica should make them big. This album is a must for every fan of powerful melodic metal with a progressive touch! And should be part of every metal fans collection, so get your copy! Just to give the four-piece the chance to top this one next time I don't give the highest rating. Even if they are really close to their masterpiece! Only inches! Perhaps this one grows and become their masterpiece, so far...
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 










Karma

(Sanctuary - 2001)



 
 

 

The Floridians offer a new studio album called Karma. This line-up is together for 4 years now and grow together. Karma brings the quartet to the next level, they are on their way to climb the throne of melodic metal and Karma is the declaration of war to the kings of melodic metal. After The Fourth Legacy and a successful tour where they recorded the live album The Expedition it seems to be a hard job to top this releases. But soon after the tour and the release of the live album Kamelot mastermind Thomas Youngblood headed to Norway to write new material with former Conception singer Roy Khan. Sticking to the old saying "Never change a winning team" the band recorded at the Gate Studios in Wolfsburg with Sascha Paeth and Miro behind the boards.

They didn't changed their style, just perfectionized it more! Lyrically they deal with different topics like karma (in the meaning of the Buddistic way of life to be re-incarnated) and the trilogy Elizabeth which is based on the life of Elizabeth Bathori. The song Don't You Cry is a homage to Thomas deceased father.

Check it out: Wings Of Despair, Karma or Forever!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 










The Fourth Legacy

(Noise International - 1999)



 
 

 

This is the second album of Kamelot with singer Roy Khan, but on Siége Perilous Khan had no chance to take part of the writing process. Last time Roy had to contribute the vocals to the written songs, this time Khan took part of the writting which make it sound a little different. Also the live experience let the band became a union. The Fourth Legacy offers a variety from a ballad (Sailorman's Hyme), mid-tempor tracks and fast melodic songs. For the intro of Nights Of Arabia which is called Desert Reign producer Sascha Paeth and Thom hired some arabian musicians to get a authentic feeling. Sounds great! The band and producer Sascha Paeth have done a great job. This album is one of the highlights this year!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 










Dominion

(Noise International - 1997)



 
 

 

Time to proof it. The long-awaited second release of the American epic power metal band is called Dominion. Actually Kamelot should tour with Virgin Steele in Europe, but... Anyway, musically Kamelot are still doing epic power metal on a high quality level, but this time the song structure is more based on classic metal. Also they reduced the Crimson Glory-like sound and the hardness. Dominion is a well-done and structured metal album which needs a few spins and on this album the Floridians started to develop their own identity. Everybody should listen - at least once - to this album.
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
up 










Eternity

(Noise International - 1995)



 
 

 

Fantastic! Amazing! Did Crimson Glory reunited? This was my first thought when I listened to this album, but I'm wrong.

Kamelot is a quintet from Tampa, Florida and they play exactly this kind of power metal which made 'Midnight' & co before they released Strange & Beautiful. Singer Mark Vanderbilt can be compared with 'Midnight' and so the quality level of this output is pretty high. Also the song writing on Eternity is at the highest level and the production is really powerful! And so I declare that Crimson Glory are back, just that they are now called Kamelot and that they are a quintet! ;-)
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
up 





 
           ©2008-2014 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com