In my opinion, Power Metal lives and dies through the sword Chorus. A band can boast the greatest guitar wizardry in the world, the greatest vocal range imaginable and the most exuberant feats of percussion acrobatics, but I need a chorus that makes me scream to the heavens to hold the whole thing together. Others may offer a different experience, but I have never heard a power metal record without big, jaw-dropping choruses that have stuck in my mind for more than a few weeks. Armed with this unshakeable state of mind, body and soul, I approach the Australian symphonic power metal troupe Carmeria and her second record Tragedy of Love.
Carmerias debut album, Advenaestretched over an hour of lush but often simple symphonic power metal. People familiar with the middle period Camelot, serenityAnd Seventh Wonder would instantly recognise the blueprint these Australians have implemented. As you might imagine, the choruses were one of the greatest strengths of this record. That strength not only carries over to this new release, but also blossoms with vibrant new brilliance. The gothic romanticism of HIM and translates it into incredibly catchy love songs that have the same indelible contagiousness as many of Night Flight Orchestra‘s hit, Tragedy of Love is a tightly written and wonderful demonstration of gigantic choruses, accompanied by decent, if not particularly remarkable, power metal instrumentation.
Even in their weakest pieces CarmeriaThe choruses are some of the most memorable I’ve heard all year. Massive, stadium-rocking tunes like “Thorns” and “Leading the Lyre” are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser, with soaring lines and powerful stomps working together to light the soul with simmering fire. “Call Forth My Sorrow,” “A Thousand Winter Rains,” and “Shadow’s Throne” are the heaviest cuts, showcasing Carmeria‘s surprisingly strong, raspy voice, while still offering deadly sharp vocal and percussion hooks at every turn. Meanwhile, the beautiful and ephemeral ballad “Whispers of Forgiveness” evokes an ancient, mystical tone that maximizes the serious character deeply embedded throughout the record. In a way, this track – despite being the lightest and gentlest application of Carmeria‘s Sound – represents the bleeding heart of the record, the source from which come the hopelessly romantic emotions that Tragedy of Love feathers.
And yet, Tragedy of LoveThe unrealistic argument for recognition value cannot disguise the relative lack of show talent that guitars and synthesizers display. Where bands like Camelot And Night Flight Orchestrato draw from two different pools, both effectively use catchy, memorable compositions for their guitars And Synthesizer, CarmeriaThe writing lacks flair in both areas. An overwhelming majority of Tragedy of LoveThe riffs, leads and solos lack any distinct personality, apart from rare exceptions such as the beautiful acoustic accompaniment in “Whispers of Forgiveness”, the main themes of “Leading the Lyre” or the noodly synth solo in the last third of “Call Forth My Sorrow”. Consequently CarmeriaThe instrumental material is only ever strong enough to support the vocals, which in turn leaves a lot of potential on the table for even more musicianship that could have turned a consistently entertaining record into an undeniable showstopper.
Interestingly, despite my initial claim that Power Metal Needs strong choruses that resonate with me, CarmeriaThe latest release needed more robust instrumentation to be great. Tragedy of LoveThe choruses are undoubtedly some of the best I’ve heard all year – not a single one hits the mark. However, the metallic essence that the guitars bring to the matter and the moodiness that the synths bring leave a lot to be desired. With more imaginative instrumentation, this album could easily have challenged the top spot on my new releases of the year. As it is, Tragedy of Love remains a thoroughly entertaining and easily replayable record, designed to cheer you up and get you singing.
Reviews: Good!
DR: 6 | Verified format: 320 kb/s mp3
label: Self-release
Sites: facebook.com/CarmeriaMusic | carmeria.bandcamp.com/music
Worldwide publications: 23 August 2024
