Symphony of the night --- Nightscape --- 2005 (Lion)
Where do these bands
hide?? It's almost impossible to get any information on Nightscape, other than the fact that they're a Swedish melodic rock/metal band and they have two albums, this and their self-titled debut. They have no personal website, no Myspace or Facebook page, and there seems to be very little known about them. And yet, they're a really good band, at least on the strength of this release, who I'd like to hear more from and know more about. Ah, the life of a reviewer is never easy!
So let's dive straight into the album and sample the proof of the pudding, as it were. It opens with “Haunted hill”, a deep synth into which explodes as a thundering metal track, reminiscent of Iron Maiden at their best, circa “The Beast” or “Piece of mind”. The guitar work of Joakim Wiklund is a joy to behold, and the vocals of Simon Ekesson almost sound female they're so high, but there's great strength in his voice. However the real power of Nightscape is in their close harmonies. In a band who play close to thrash metal – though always melodic --- keeping close vocal harmonies in a song is usually not high on the list, but this works to make them seem almost like a metal version of Queen, the masters of this sort of thing. The keyboards of Markus Sundquist really add an extra layer to the music, lifting it out of the realm of a thousand other thrash/speed metal bands and more onto the level of the likes of Balance of Power or Ten. The opener really sets you up for the rest of the album, and it doesn't disappoint.
“Higher than life” blasts at you like it's trying to tear your throat out, as drummer Tyler Volez and bassist Stefan Widmark create the perfect rhythm section, tight as a bank manager and tearing the song along on rails of thunder, while Wiklund rips off solo after solo and Ekesson is clearly audible above the cacophony, and you can make out his vocals no problem, no mean feat against an onslaught like this. The pace doesn't slow down as “Merlin” makes its entrance, keyboard-led and with again great backing vocals. Not any surprise at all that this song is based on the Arthurian legends, and tells the tale of Merlin from the wizard's point of view:
”All he wishes is a life without pain/ Fighting for justice/ Protecting his king.” The song has a truly excellent solo from Sundquist, worthy of the greats of progressive rock.
Most of the tracks on this album are longer than you would expect, in fact six are over five minutes. The next one up is one of the shorter ones. “Across the sky” is a dramatic, powerful song that kicks the speed down just a little, with lots of guitar upfront and some phenomenal drumming from Tyler Volez; another great solo from Wiklund with some top-notch shredding. “Home” is another short track, with an almost Magnum boogie vibe and perhaps stands as the most commercial track on the album, with its singalong melody and hooks that just kick down the doors of your brain and settle down in your favourite easy chair, refusing to leave.
“Rage divine” is an epic rocker, that rattles along like a warhorse charging into battle, while “Curse and damnation” shows off Nightscape's classical leanings, in much the same way as top shredder Yngwie Malmsteen also draws classical influences into his music, and similar to recently-reviewed Adagio. The choral backing vocals reach critical mass in this song, perhaps the best they've sounded all through the album. Great solos on both keyboards and guitars help shape the theme of this song. Halfway through it suddenly slows down, then we're treated to yet another screaming guitar solo before an acapella part precedes the song kicking back into high gear to its powerful conclusion.
The title track closes the album, and it's worth waiting for. A little slower than most of the other tracks but still no ballad --- there are none on this album, these guys don't
do slow! After a bit it speeds up and Wiklund's guitar is off again, and indeed it's he who mostly leads this track, the final on the album, though there is a very special keyboard solo from Sundquist, just to let us know he's still there! The album closes as it opened, powerfully and with great melody and fantastic vocals, and establishes itself without question as a true find.
If you've never heard Nightscape before --- and you probably haven't, judging by the level of exposure they seem to have received --- then you need to hear this NOW! Metal heads will love it. Rockers will love it. Those who like their rock or metal with a classical bent will love it. You'll love it.
Trust me, this is a symphony you don't want to miss.
TRACKLISTING
1. Haunted hill
2. Higher than life
3. Merlin
4. Across the sky
5. Home
6. The Serpent King
7. Rage divine
8. Curse and damnation
9. Symphony of the night