It's always great to get completely blindsided by a brand new band, and that is the case here with the Swedish act called Emberstorm and their new release Memories of Time. Formed back in late 2006 by Peter Stromberg (Guitar, Keyboards, Bass), and Peter Selin (Lead Vocals), Emberstorm are rounded out on Memories of Time by guest musicians Anders Janfalk (Bass), Mio Jäger (Vocals), Eric Levie (Vocals), Johnny Berglund (Screams), Daniel Leonardsson (Keyboard Solos), and Mikael Baggström (Piano).
From the production to the packaging, Memories of Time is a very professional sounding and looking album, especially for an independent release. The Swedes have concocted a mix of symphonic power metal, melodic hard rock, progressive metal, and thrash, and all the songs are expertly played, as well as being catchy & memorable. Selin has a great voice, and he sings with quite a bit of emotion throughout, almost sounding like a young Jeff Scott Soto on the raging "Cursed For Eternity", where his strong mid-range battles with Berglund's growls as Stromberg's lightning guitar riffs and Leonardsson's nimble synth solos blast into the stratosphere. "Day of Destiny" is a powerful number, filled with crunchy riffage, gorgeous piano & keyboard textures, Selin's soaring vocals, and plenty of intricate drum parts. The more thrashy "Emberstone" is tempered by some lovely keyboard melodies, but you can't miss Stromberg's well placed guitar mashing, and his melodic tone is a joy to behold on the symphonic epic "Tides of No Belief", a real feast for fans of Vanden Plas or Symphony X.
Memories of Time is ultimately a very satisfying, melodic & symphonic metal album, signaling the arrival of a force to be reckoned with in the form of Emberstorm. Here's hoping that Stromberg & Selin flesh out the line-up with some full-time members and take this outfit on the road for some live shows and future releases, as all the groundwork has already been laid for the bright future that is seemingly ahead of them.
Track listing:
1- Never Ending
2- Elegy For Lady Servile
3- Cursed For Eternity
4- Horizon's Call
5- Day Of Destiny
6- The Winter's Night Of Fate
7- Emberstone
8- Tides Of No Belief
9- Out Of Reach
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