The French Metal on top (7) !!

Akphaezya is a French group founded in 2002 in Orleans and working in the music offering a mix of genres that is tasty enough that you can stick the label "Metal avant-garde."
I do not know the first album of the combo, Anthology II, released in 2004 and emerged on Ancestry Records in 2008, but having heard extracts, the prospect of discovering a group that provides an impossible music label obviously brought me the mouth water ... or to the ear!
So when I, for the first time, initiated the "play" button to listen to the new delivery group, "Anthology IV: The Tragedy Of Nerak", released by Code666, I was driven by a feeling mingling pleasure and anxiety .
"Pleasure" because I'm always on the lookout for groups breaking codes, "concern" because it takes a lot of talent to achieve because getting a cheerful tote, messy and indigestible is always possible!

The first listening reassured me Akphaezya is original, the music is varied but not deeply nonsensical, it does not share in vain in every sense, diversity does not prohibit the flow!
So you know what? And although the word "concern" had no place to be for the following tracks (because let's be clear, such an album imply several plays to apprehend efficiently its rich content) and consequently ... "pleasure "was the word that best represents the delivery of this new combo at the whim of successive plays.

What I remember at first, it is the different styles that can be found in Akphaezya including Jazz, Heavy, Black, Classic or Rock, all delectable mix of prog, not plated one after another but have a considerable job to generate a consistent and ultimately create original music with the completely digested!

Now enter "Anthology IV: The Tragedy Of Nerak" built like a Greek tragedy in narrative and including four acts, embodying the seasons.

After an ambient intro ("Prologos"), with whisper and completed by three blows before a curtain in a theater play, "A Slow Vertigo ..." starts as an electro title (following confirm, at times, this tendency) to the heavy mid-tempo rhythmic mode. Then the one which propels the album undeniably to the heights rears his voice. Nehl aelin is indeed a great vocalist and that's a real pleasure to listen to, either with his "normal" voice or when it is delicate, sensitive, gentle, at times can remind Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation). Nehl also like keyboards and their contribution is considerable, touching in piano mode, bringing melancholy aspects, they are embellished with a violin in perfect harmony. If Nehl is fantastic, we naturally will indicate that it is not only in the group!
Loïc (drums), Stephane (bass) and Stephan (guitar) provide power dose in some delicate rhythmic or when placed passages and accompany him in this quest for excellence, which is not far from that first title!
"Sophrosyne" plunges us into a dark Metal with a beginning that would not refuse a group of Horror Metal. We close this time of Symphonic Black Metal, Nehl brings a rope (voice) over to his bow: extreme voice (she is also very comfortable in this register), the piano is always fundamental in the development of environments was fast passages ... and then it's a cool moment, jazzy, hovering, which is a well developed ... before passage including the heavy growls. The end of the title off again on the basics of beginning.
Come on, big change with "Utopia", which proves the opposite of the dark aspects of the previous title and is rather festive, with Nehl this time playful, crazy, jazzy instrumentation in harmony with top level!
"Hubris" has a dark beginning, the Funeral Doom Metal is not far ... but the jazzy codes then arrive in force, it moves, the group is having a field day, all instruments fully take their place and Nehl is still as stunning! The end returns to this gloomy atmosphere of the beginning.
"Trance HL 2" is an instrumental piano. If Jazz is an important component in Akphaezya, you can also add classical music, this time constitutes the basis of the composition.
This is again the big difference with "Genesis" rather live under the heavy Melodic Metal keys, always with varied vocal and this little nice jazzy feel.
Acoustic beginning, with guitar and bass for "Dystopia", sumptuous very melodic song which then adds violin and piano to achieve a cheerful ending.
Register crossed with lots of fast passages, presence of some male vocals, growlspour back "Nemesis" which, especially in its passages fit-in well, is simply enjoyable!
"... The Harsh Verdict" back into the fold oriented "melancholy" slice and so enormously with "Nemesis" ... but when least expected, they are based on passages that offer Flamenco to us, with the guitar and vocal characteristics.
The trip ends with "Epilogos" on the same basis as the intro.

Akphaezya brings to the Metal scene one more reason to be impressed by its diversity.
This new installment in the Orleans training is a small bomb should listen carefully and repeatedly as she is rich and varied. Once you enter this exciting world, it's hard to come out as it is endearing and inspired.
With a strong personality, perfectly performed and produced (which was indispensable for such work), "Anthology IV: The Tragedy Of Nerak" is to discover urgently!

Tracklist of Anthology IV: The Tragedy Of Nerak

01. '' ü '' '' '/ Prologos

Act I: Spring
02. Scene I: A Slow Vertigo ...
03. Scene II: '' '' '' ý '' / Sophrosyne

Act II: Summer
04. Scene I: Utopia
05. Scene II: '' '' '/ Hubris
06. Trance HL 2

Act III: Autumn
07. Scene I: Genesis
08. Scene II: Dystopia

Act IV: Summer
09. Scene I: Nemesis
10. Scene II: ... The Harsh Verdict

11. '' '' '' '' / Epilogos

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