Album title: Army of Dreamers
Artist: Allen/Olzon
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Nationality: American/Swedish
Familiarity (artist): I have their previous album
Familiarity (genre): Very familiar; I have a lot of albums by the likes of Edenbridge, Within Temptation, Epica and Nightwish, among others.
A word before I jump in: Allen/Olzon is basically a side-project/collaboration between Anette Olzon, vocalist with Nightwish and Russel Allen, singer with Symphony X and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They also rope in the talents of Primal Fear’s Magnus Karlsson on guitars, bass and keyboards. So on the face of it, quite the supergroup. This is their second release, as shown above, and promises to be a killer album. Maybe.
Tracks
“Army of Dreamers”
You might expect a big Nightwish style orchestral opening. You would not be disappointed. Trumpeting keys over choral vocals and thundering drums leads into a hard rocker and you can hear how the two vocalists merge well.
Rating: 8
“So Quiet Here”
Olzon takes the lead vocal and again we have the orchestral backing, then the vocal switches to Allen. Nice.
Rating: 8
“Out of Nowhere”
Strong piano opening before the guitars pound in and then the strings section rises before Allen takes the vocal, the tempo pretty high.
Rating: 8
“A Million Skies”
Another dramatic orchestral thing, which I have to admit gets so overused in symphonic metal it’s become very boring and predictable. I know, it’s in the name of the genre, but it’s something like power metal: you kind of know what to expect. Good vocal performances from both on a mid-paced rocker.
Rating: 8
“Carved into Stone”
Cutting a bit back on the orchestra here with some fine guitar work, and Allen chanellling his inner Dio. Pretty cool.
Rating: 8
“All Alone”
The first ballad, I imagine, starting as it does with gentle piano and wind sounds, though to be honest it then punches up a bit, so you know, maybe not.
Rating: 8
“Look at Me”
Really kicking out the traces here with a total metal rocker, Olzon taking the first vocal anyway then Allen comes in after her.
Rating: 8
“Until it’s Over”
Another piano intro, so is this the ballad? Never easy to be sure with symphonic metal. Again it’s kind of rising in tempo so I’d say probably no.
Rating: 8
“I Am Gone”
Nice opening vocal from Olzon with dramatic powerful orchestral hits and grinding guitar.
Rating: 8
“Are We Really Strangers”
A powerful guitar passage to start this one off, and it rocks along nicely.
Rating: 8
“Never Too Late”
And one more piano track, possibly the ballad, with it being the closer. Strong choral and orchestral lines here, almost film score territory. But no, I think it’s gone up a gear again.
Rating: 8
Average Track Rating: 8
Comments: It’s not that it’s a bad album by any means, it’s just, what do you get on this album that you don’t on a Nightwish or Symphony X one? It’s more or less the same, and this is the trouble with symphonic metal. Whereas you can kind of laugh at/with power metal, and though sometimes they take themselves seriously they don’t always, symphonic always seems to be deadly earnest, up itself and not a smile to be had. It’s a little boring and a little annoying, and I feel there’s quite a bit of both in this.
Album Rating: 7B
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMifUtcBLBs