The perpetrators active in a mix of Symphonic and Power Metal often have trouble deciding which way to turn. Nightwish or – again – Epica are good examples, albeit that they tend more to their symphonic parts. Kamelot are another band where this rings pretty much true. The RMR crew was always impressed by the pretty flawless productions that this band projected into their various albums. And so far they shoved their Power Metal urges into the limelight more prominently than other intruding styles. But this may be about to change.
So, five years after The Shadow Theory, the band finally greets us with new material. Make no mistake, The Awakening won’t present you with a paradigm shift in style and delivery. Still undeniably Kamelot, the new record appears a bit heavier than its predecessor. And it definitely tends more towards the symphonic end of the spectrum and away from Power Metal (New Babylon, for instance). And methinks that Tommy Karevik finally comes into his own. There is a confidence that wasn’t quite there before. Albeit that his forte lies in emotional clear-voice crooning and less so in vile metal growls. This leaves the heavy lifting to Thomas Youngblood‘s belting powers, apart from his undeniably excellent guitar duties.
The piece – yet again – shines with a spiffed-up production that is as perfect as the ones on the band’s former ones. And besides, since Jacob Hansen kept the mixing and mastering assignment, you can expect pretty high quality. Now, the record also has – once again – Sascha Paeth’s fingerprints all over it. And this means that you will look in vain for hard edges and sharp corners to draw blood from. Instead, you will find smoothly constructed metal that will effortlessly flow down that mighty metal stream devoid of storms and undercurrents. And the rest remains buttoned down and out of sight once the compressors start firing.
Oh, did I just describe the mainstream? I did, indeed. The Awakening clearly caters to the metal crowd o’ the light. No overly hairy beastly metalheads in sight; it’s mostly the stylish folks out there trying to ruin their necks with amateur headbangs. But – if there’s one band that kinda manages the balancing act between the nether regions of the Mighty Metal Kraken and its sun-baked realms, then it’s Kamelot. In other words, their wares will also speak to the hard-nosed folks over at the RMR review desk. And hence, this here piece finally got on the review list.
Spare me the intros and outros, but their real parting shot – The Great Divide – showcases typical and at the same time pretty fiery Kamelot fare. Not a trve underground scorcher for sure, but the track packs enough oomph to please those hordes of dissatisfied metalheads out there. And it’s a pity that the terrain this tracklist builds itself on is so uneven. Because once Eventide effortlessly flows by kinda on an even keel, The Awakening hits a first real snag.
And that is Another Flag in the Ground, a somewhat generic déjà-vu impersonation. The blurb sounds like an afterthought of some songwriter of earlier Within Temptation or Delain in their harsher moments. And we’re still searching for Kobra Paige on backing vocals, she must have disappeared in the mix somewhere. And why did they have to shove those ‘hey’ hollers to the front of the mix? That’s just plain bad practice. But hold yer fire for a moment, it ain’t all bad after all. The track’s production, the solo, the multilayered vocals of Karevik and Youngblood are all top-notch.
And the steampunk-infected fake Star Wars video made for the song adds some serious spice to the production. It, however, remains a perfect example of mainstream symphonic power. New Babylon – another luscious production ft. Simone Simons (Epica) and Melissa Bonny of Ad Infinitum – kinda hits the same vein. The track sounds like something straight from earlier Epica with a few shots of Arch Enemy for growly fun.
Now, pitch that against great tracks like Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem), The Looking Glass, or the aforementioned The Great Divide. There definitely is a divide between outright juicy material and pieces that just push the right buttons but fail to reach very far. And that’s a pity.
So, to no one’s real surprise, The Awakening pushes typical Kamelot fare. A mixed bag of highly sophisticated Symphonic Power Metal only this band can really muster. The album clearly carries much more juice and a heavier armor than its predecessor. And that will indulge their current fans – and find them a memorable new following, too. But did it in any way shape or form break the mold and generate some new-found energy? Nope, it didn’t. There’s still way too much old baggage and not enough innovation to push things further. But that isn’t all that bad after all – and it’s not even expected. The band delivers exactly what their sturdy fan base craves to hear. Nothing more and nothing less.
Record Rating: 6/10 | Label: Napalm Records | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 17 March 2023