Regardless of the music quality, famous beloved bands like Kamelot will always manage to keep the fanbase happily satisfied. The latest release “Silverthorn” is a safe album that proposes again the band’s winning recipe without astonishing surprises. The amazing and creative guitar work is the true strength of “Silverthorn” but, unfortunately, the repetitive power metal tunes tend to weaken the album as a whole.
“Manus Dei” is a very exciting intro in perfect symphonic style with the inevitable operatic chorus. Yet, as soon as “Sacrimony (Angel Of Afterlife)” begins, the songwriting and the melodies become too redundant and pompous. There is a lot going on here both in terms of style changes and instrumental sounds but too often all these elements are in conflict resulting in an unnatural musical flow. At the same time, the vocals and the guitar riffs at the very beginning are sublime while they become very predictable on the chorus. All the musical complexity showcased on this song certainly proves Kamelot’s mature musicianship but it becomes a confusing melting pot.
“Ashes To Ashes”, despite the clichéd title, brings some hope with a series of interesting prog metal sequences. Yet, the pop power metal chorus is somehow unnecessary and clashes with the intensely creative prog guitar/keyboards tunes.
‘Torn” has an epic tapestry with a pleasant mid paced rhythm and majestic guitar solos, but the recurring overrated happy power metal attitude decreases the early excitement for this song.
“Song For Jolee” is the must have super soft romantic ballad. The vocals are melancholic and passionate as expected and the main piano melodies are quite charming.
“Veritas” shines for its violin intro followed by polished energetic guitar riffs. The keyboards layers are subtle but fundamental, the grandiose operatic chorus perfectly fits the epic atmosphere and the vocals are eclectic enough to keep the song interesting.
The title track simply follows the general music theme of “Silverthorn”. The guitars and keyboards are perfectly entwined and the breakdown has a folk taste but it seems a bit awkward.
“Prodigal Son” is the most appealing track on the album. It has a dark aura that spreads from the mystic organ driven intro enhanced by the inspiring flawless vocals. The Gregorian chant style is certainly an elegant addition that flows quite naturally within the more vigorous metal theme. The guitar work here is truly outstanding and creates a captivating concoction of styles that range from traditional metal to modern symphonic/power metal.
Once again, it seems that Kamelot has decided to stay true to its long term musical legacy. Therefore, the band’s fans will appreciate this strategic move while the others will look somewhere else for something more exciting and innovative.