Kamelot Epica

Tracklist:
1. Prologue 1:07
2. Center Of The Universe 5:26
3. Farewell 3:41
4. Interlude I: Opiate Soul 1:10
5. The Edge Of Paradise 4:09
6. Wander 4:24
7. Interlude II: Omen 0:40
8. Descent Of The Archangel 4:35
9. Interlude III: At The Banquet 0:30
10. A Feast For The Vain 3:57
11. On The Coldest Winter Night 4:03
12. Lost & Damned 4:55
13. Helena�s Theme 1:51
14. Interlude IV: Dawn 0:27
15. The Mourning After (Carry On) 4:59
16. III Ways To Epica 6:16

Approximate Running Time: 52:10

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A wager is made in the heavens: if an exiled angel can claim the soul of God’s favorite man, then he will be able to reenter heaven. But if he cannot, then he will be eternally condemned to hell. After leaving all he’s ever known to search for truth, Ariel (the object of the bet) is introduced to Mephisto, who offers him every possible worldly desire in exchange for his soul after death. Ariel makes a compromise, saying that if at any point he’s so content that he wishes to linger there forever, then Mephisto can have his soul.

Thus is the basis for Epica, part one of Kamelot’s two-part concept album based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust story. These two albums make what is most likely the power metal powerhouse’s finest hour (or rather, two hours).

After showing a Kamelot song to someone I knew, he commented that it sounded like Metallica. I responded with “Metallica….goes to the opera”. I believe this description still fits quite well, as Kamelot puts dramatic and operatic vocals over hard-hitting metallic guitars, drums and bass. The result is epic, melodic and powerful songs that are not only better than a lot of power metal, but also don’t come off nearly as cheesy as most.

The musicianship present is more than solid. Guitarist Thomas Youngblood delivers plenty of great riffs throughout the album, never letting things get boring throughout. He can also solo quite well, and displays said skill in the first two songs. Even though the production drowns out the bass while Youngblood is playing, it is audible in the softer moments of the album and adds to the music well. Drummer Casey Grillo also showcases substantial talent in the first two songs, laying down a great double bass pattern for Youngblood’s rapid fire riffing. Grillo is never hyper-technical throughout the album, but simply backs the rest of the band, and does so quite well. I personally still hold vocalist Roy Khan as the most talented member of the band, however. His powerful, amazing and (to my knowledge) unique voice displays not only great range, but the ability to hold notes almost perfectly.

As mentioned before, Epica is a concept album. When following the lyrics, it is not necessarily easy to understand the story presented. However, one can get a sense of each chapter in the story by analyzing the lyrics. The interludes are much more interesting than most found out there, and the first includes some cool opera/choir vocals. All in all, the concept is very well handled and possibly adds to the enjoyment of the album.

Problems? There are basically none that I can think of. There is a small sense of monotony when hearing the album for the first time, but this soon goes away as one learns the songs. The interludes also help this, creating moments of distraction from the excellent songs. An aroma of cheese might float to some listeners' noses during the album, but the dramatic nature of the songs is pulled off better than normal.

Most power metal bands seem content to write extremely cheesy songs usually delivered in an equally cheesy manner. Songs about Lord of the Rings, dragons, wizards and mythical lands seem to permeate the genre (or at least what this reviewer has yet to come across). I won’t say that Kamelot has come to save the genre, but they certainly stand as a force to be reckoned with. Epica certainly stands as a testament to that – at various points epic, heavy, melodic and powerful, it’s an album every fan of the genre should own.

Recommended tracks:
Center of the Universe
Farewell
Wander
Lost & Damned