For me, wonderful, but certainly with polarization potential

For me, wonderful, but certainly with polarization potential

Haven (Media Book) (Audio CD)

Customer Review

Kamelot are definitely one of the most original bands in melodic metal sector and in my opinion also one of the best. With their latest album, "Haven" underlines the internationally staffed troupe called points, but might scare off the occasional fan with innovations in sound.

For better assessment of my remarks, I think it is useful to briefly to indicate my views on previous work of the band. For their feat, I think "The Black Halo", then come the even more classic "Karma" and the generally more unpopular "Poetry for the Poisend". Also at the other albums since "The Fourth Legacy" I find much favor. Only "Ghost Opera" could not ignite so right with me 'still I hear it every now and then like.

With the last album, "Silverthorn" Kamelot have firstly demonstrated impressively that they have found for their long-time vocalist Roy Khan with Tommy Karevik a worthy replacement and on the other hand proved that they still quite catchy, yet multi-layered symphonic Power Metal write songs, who had many wanting to "Poetry. '" "Haven" is based partly on his predecessor, the tape shows but also from their experimental side. The lyrics deal with current issues this time, the record sounds generally modern, the guitars are more prominent, but the pace tends towards "Silverthorn" been rather shut down anything.
Since this is a pretty varied album in "Haven", I think it makes sense to respond individually to the songs. Let's go '

1. Fallen Star
The opening track begins with tender lyrics, accompanied by piano and strings, the latter eventually take over the sole command and exude a lot of bombast, before the band begins and the song evolved into a fairly typical Kamelot-piece. The opening motif emerges later with "Metal-instrumentation" again as a refrain to which perhaps just passing on catchy so but remains interesting. Overall, "Fallen Star" is a fairly classic Kamelot song that I like very much.

2. Insomnia
For this piece, a video was filmed, which can be found for some time as YouTube. "Insomnia" represents the style of the album pretty well. In mid-tempo, it goes ahead with a modern sound, the chorus is extremely catchy. Who can get used to this song, has a good chance to find pleasure in the whole album, so I recommend here that the listening! In my view, is the song the opener high not to.

3. Citizen Zero
The third title looks a bit like a bombastic staged version of the song good, which constituted "Poetry '' to a large extent, therefore, it is determined many longtime fans satisfied as me less. I think it is namely one of the great highlights of "Haven". "Citizen Zero" spread throughout a very somber mood, thereby slowly builds up and contains in the verses chant-like passages. The chorus then breaks out quite aggressive and not so uneingängig. Although the piece has such at all, a point is hardly times repeated one to one, over and over again to new shades join in the sound. A "Reviewer" elsewhere wrote that he found "Citizen Zero" dreadful and boring. Especially the latter, although I can not quite understand, but it shows that my enthusiasm for the song is not shared by all.

4. Veil of Elysium
... Was opened as the first song of the album on the Internet. In my view, was not a very good choice, because the song is not typical of 'Haven'. In fact, "Veil of Elysium" an up-tempo number in the form that has become at Kamelot since "Ghost Opera" standard. Only the verses are traditionally accompanied with slower music. You have to make allowances for the band that they manage such songs always wonderful. Even with "Veil of Elysium" that's the case, you should not expect that the rest of Haven would be designed similar only.

5. Under Grey Skies
In the fifth place is at the mandatory quiet title. Who always kept Kamelot ballads for too cheesy and corny, is also thereto find any favors. In my opinion, the band writes ballads better than most other metal groups and "Under Grey Skies" like in comparison to its own catalog still above average. Guest musicians come here Delain singer Charlotte Wessels and Nightwish flute man Troy Donockley (its use is managed in my opinion!) On. The song sets typically over more and more of bombast. Of its kind reminds me "Under Grey Skies" pretty much on "House on a Hill" from the "Poetry. '"

6. My Therapy
This song keeps all the style of "Insomnia", but a piece is weaker, in my view. The chorus is very catchy, is me but too often repeated, but that it already is fairly long in itself and I like it regardless of less than the showpiece of the plate. I think "My Therapy" for the worst song of "Haven", where he convinced me anyway and I like better than a good half of the material on "Ghost Opera".

7. Ecclesia
This less than a minute long intermediate piece consisting of strings and choirs, is certainly not necessarily indispensable, but manages well into the next track.

8. End of Innocence
... Turns out to be very catchy mid-tempo piece with reveling refrain. Stylistically it could have very well fitted to "Silverthorn". In my view, also includes the song to the comparatively weaker the plate, mainly because it is a little too shallow. Nevertheless, I like it, mainly shows how much I appreciate the other songs on the album.

9. Beautiful Appocalypse
The ninth song is reminiscent with its oriental influences at first something to "Karma" times, presenting a total but a modern face. Particularly striking is the constantly emerging, especially in the Bridge artificially distorted vocals Kareviks which stands in stark contrast to the fine, almost poppy chorus. This mixture may not appeal to everyone - I can well imagine that it sounds pretty annoying for some - I think "Beautiful Apocalypse" However, for one of the best pieces of the plate.

10. Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
Another highlight follows with this up-tempo song that actually reminded of the albums before "The Black Halo". The chorus seems a little as if he came from a children's song accelerated (but do many power metal refrains), but is enormously powerful and catchy. Since the latter part also very successful, long instrumental passages are installed in my view, there is no lack of variety. Worth mentioning also is the presence of Arch-Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz that contributes in addition to a short Grunzpassage even clean vocals. Stylistically stings "Liar Liar" with its relatively traditional style quite out and has the potential, my favorite song of "Haven" to be in the long run.

11 Here's to the Fall
... Is the second ballad of the album and certainly inconspicuous piece on "Haven". Essentially, the instrumentation consists of piano and strings. The first time, I liked the song does not really, now this has changed. Above all, I consider placement between "Liar Liar" and the final for success.

12. Revolution
As the last "real" song that is available to the Revolution. This is to ensure the toughest and most modern piece of the album, which is a last big highlight for me, but probably most will polarize. Kamelot remember here more like Fear Factory or metalcore than to power metal, including Mrs. White-Gluz contributes the back several times highly taxed matching growls. Of particular note is in "Revolution" the voltage curve. The verses sound like the calm before the storm, which in turn is formed by the chorus. Later in the hardness increases even further before it is replaced by an extremely delicate, spherical passage which again follows the chorus. Some like this song sound too fragmented, disturbing others probably at his Kamelot-atypical orientation, however, I find it great. And although it harder approaching every death metal plate as here, I experience there hardly times something aufwühlendes like this song.

13. Haven
To conclude, there with the title track still melodious, bombastic instrumental, which can finish the album worthy.

I'm not a hurray fan who in everything he likes, distributed five points, in this case, however, those are absolutely justified in my eyes. Kamelot have neither reinvented nor a "Silverthorn" -Dublette laid, but they present my opinion on "Haven" even by their standards, many above-average songs. The new elements have been integrated very well in my opinion, in the sound of the band and the disc is also on account of which turned out pleasantly varied. However, I believe that those who want to hear the style of its predecessor, could get in some places problems with "Haven". Precisely because of the diversity there is a risk to achieve many tastes only partially. Nevertheless, the work is all followers of the band as well as other recommended what to do with symphonic / power metal and can overlook a little bit about genre boundaries. The bonus CD in the "Media Book" contains the way in addition to the usual instrumental versions of songs, two successful, very quiet alternative versions of "End of Innocene" and "Veil of Elysium".

Touching Rank: 5/5
December 24
works great 4 3 Rank: 5/5
October 7
And presto cloning pc on delivery Rank: 5/5
October 22
The Backpacker equal to itself Rank: 3/5
January 13
437 Middle ... Rank: 2/5
October 19
96 must-read Rank: 5/5
May 21

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