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Epysode - Obsessions review



Reviewer:
N/A

38 users:
8.29
Band: Epysode
Album: Obsessions
Release date: August 2011


01. File 41807
02. Silences Of Dawn (Poetry)
03. First Blood
04. Obsessions
05. Invisible Nations
06. Gemini Syndrom
07. Fallen's Portrait
08. Season Of Redemption
09. The Other Side
10. Shadow Lord
11. One Chance
12. Divine Whispers
13. March Of The Ghosts
14. Last Sunset

What do you do when you enjoy and want to promote an album that you know is flawed? Let me just start by saying "I really like it." So even when I describe why I think it was swallowed up by the competition, know that I found its positives to outweigh the negatives. But it's a harsh world out there for competition.

So, this is a symphonic prog concept album with a cast of vocalists a la Star One and Ayreon. What drew me to Epysode in the first place were two very special names: Kelly "Sundown" Carpenter (from Beyond Twilight's 2005 masterpiece Section X) and Magali Luyten (the powerhouse behind heavy metallers Beautiful Sin's only album). Two phenomenal singers I thought I'd never hear from again, together in one place. Fantastic!

The music follows a smooth trajectory of tempos, pulling you in with epic, bombastic melodies you'd hope for from this style. The keyboards are plentiful though never overpowering, and the guitar riffing flirts with the heavier, crunchier side of things, just to keep it interesting!

Speaking of interesting, though, there is some sadly uninteresting singing going on today. With the exception of the two mentioned above, the other vocalists are rather unexceptional, especially Liselotte Hegl. I suppose her music was written in contrast to Luyten's strong belting; Hegl is in the soprano/sweet-feminine-voice role and sadly miscast. Her voice is completely uninteresting and lackluster, which makes it one of the main drawbacks of the album since she is featured so often.

Songs featuring Carpenter and Luyten do their best to save this album, and I would say that they succeed. These two add their special spice to every note they sing and give performances that make their songs instantly memorable and immensely pleasing.

Other details in the songwriting seem to have been overlooked here and there as well. There is a marked difference between the great songs and the rest. Not calling them filler? ok maybe I'm calling them filler. Thing is, they mostly work in context and make the album a great whole, but overall prevent this from being a CD you want to spin again and again. There are too many damn songs. Fat needs trimming. The songs that are truly stellar are almost drowned out. Thankfully, those stellar songs are there, and that's what keeps me coming back to this album.

Because, when they're on, they're fucking ON. Here is some gorgeous, epic, epic music. When you're listening to the right track, that is.

At the end of the day, Epysode has released an album for metal geeks to discover, but hasn't done quite enough to make the fans come running in droves. They have laid the foundation for a very strong future, though, and hopefully they'll capitalize on their achievements with this album and grow into brilliance for their sophomore release. That's an album I'll be eagerly awaiting.





Written on 12.01.2012 by Susan appreciates quality metal regardless of sub-genre. Metal Storm Staff since 2006.

Twitter: @HeavyMetalSusan


Comments

Comments: 13   Visited by: 180 users
12.01.2012 - 12:58
Rating: 8
Ag Fox
Angel No More
Cool review. and I agree with everything you said *thumbsup*
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loves 小巫
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12.01.2012 - 13:12
Rating: 7
Milena
gloom cookie
I hope this band will not be a one-album-project. I like the concept of Ayreon, but I don't like "epic" in any form, and the story that spans across 5 or more albums and some albums containing fourteen singers are frankly just too wide for me to digest. I need time to listen to other bands too This is a proper way to trim it.

Btw, Lyr, if you enjoy Kelly's vocals, you should try Outworld too. They only have one album, but he sounds like a mean machine on it, and Rusty Cooley's guitar playing is totally out of the ordinary.
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7.0 means the album is good
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12.01.2012 - 13:29
Rating: 8
Susan
Smeghead
Thanks Ag!

And thanks to Mora, I'll definitely check out Outworld. Apparently Kelly is also the new vocalist for Adagio, too. Sweetness.
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"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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12.01.2012 - 13:37
BloodTears
ANA-thema
This sounds promising, although symphonic is not something I usually listen to a lot and I don't like Ayreon, which was mentioned. Having said that, Susan made me discover so many great albums this year out of my comfort zone that I will probably try this one out.

Good description of the album, btw
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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12.01.2012 - 13:48
JohnDoe
Account deleted
Written by BloodTears on 12.01.2012 at 13:37

This sounds promising, although symphonic is not something I usually listen to a lot and I don't like Ayreon, which was mentioned. Having said that, Susan made me discover so many great albums this year out of my comfort zone that I will probably try this one out.

Good description of the album, btw


it's not similar to Ayreon in sound at all. I don't like Ayreon either. It's worth a try, the female singers are great. I'll give the album a new listen soon to get deeper into it.
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12.01.2012 - 14:00
Ivor
Staff
This is something people tend to rave about and I fail to understand why. Some "uninteresting" singing is the keyword. Vocal performance spoiled it. And those Lyr mentions as good, aren't to my liking either, kind of on the heavy metal side.

I.
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No friends for playing games
No foes who scorn my name
Computerized machines of steel and rust
/---/
No friends in my house on Mars
No foes in my house on Mars
I was born in my house on Mars
I will die in my house on Mars
-- Ayreon - My House on Mars
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12.01.2012 - 15:18
Rating: 7
Milena
gloom cookie
Written by Susan on 12.01.2012 at 13:29

Apparently Kelly is also the new vocalist for Adagio, too. Sweetness.

Yeah, he's really on a roll! Let's hope something nice happens to Magali too.
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7.0 means the album is good
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12.01.2012 - 16:30
Rating: 8
Ag Fox
Angel No More
Written by Susan on 12.01.2012 at 13:29

Thanks Ag!

And thanks to Mora, I'll definitely check out Outworld. Apparently Kelly is also the new vocalist for Adagio, too. Sweetness.
I enjoyed Outworld more than this actually. A great power metal album
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loves 小巫
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12.01.2012 - 16:34
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Hold up, the singer for Beautiful Sin is on this? Now this I must hear, she's one of the strongest female vocalists I've ever heard!
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12.01.2012 - 21:00
Kamil
Account deleted
Good review .

I can only add, that Carpenter made fantastic work on this stuff, that saves this album. I will give it 7 and nothing more.
Unfortunately I doubt, that he will stay in Epysode especially if effects of his work with Adagio will be much better, than this.

@Ag Fox: Outworld is not power, it's progressive
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12.01.2012 - 21:06
Dark Blood
The Avenger
Nice review! This is definitely something to check out later on.
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It is humanity who must pay homage to the greatness of the Universe... not the Universe to the human narcissism.
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13.01.2012 - 20:03
Rating: 7
Milena
gloom cookie
Written by Guest on 12.01.2012 at 21:00

@Ag Fox: Outworld is not power, it's progressive

It has a power/prog feel to it, but for me it's also way more on the prog side.
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7.0 means the album is good
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13.01.2012 - 20:19
bazinko

I agree with this review! Kelly always shines... but it could have been so much better as a whole. Also, I like Outworld... but for me Darkology is what's really stunning. I highly recommend their debut. It's as amazing as Section X, in my opinion.
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