Band:	Kamelot
Album:	Ghost Opera
Style:	Symphonic power metal
Release date:	June 2007

Disc I
01. Solitaire
02. Rule The World
03. Ghost Opera
04. The Human Stain
05. Blücher
06. Love You To Death
07. Up Through The Ashes
08. Mourning Star
09. Silence Of The Darkness
10. Anthem
11. EdenEcho
12. The Pendulous Fall [limited edition bonus]
13. Season's End [Japanese bonus]

Disc II [DVD]
01. Ghost Opera [video]
+ Making Of Ghost Opera

I really like Kamelot, a band which knows in my opinion how to mix the puissance of European Power Metal with the Heavy Metal from USA. It's really good because Kamelot is unique and even if some of their songs are really "easy" on a side, it always works and it's always cool to listen to this band really. After a magisterial trilogy ("Karma", "Epica" and the "Black Halo") the new release "Ghost Opera" was really awaited by the fans of the band and well even if it's a good album, I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed this time. I will let you know why right now.

I think that the main problem of "Ghost Opera" will be the comparisons with the three previous albums. You'll say that we can always find bad points on "Karma", "Epica" and the "Black Halo" but personally I really think that those three albums are all real masterpieces of Power Metal. "Ghost Opera" is not bad but I don't know why, something is missing here. Maybe that Kamelot just produces too many albums and wasn't so inspirited for this release, I don't know, but the fact is that "Ghost Opera" is not so catchy than the previous releases. We have some good things though and after a really nice introduction, the two first songs "Rule Of The World" and "Ghost Opera" follow the spirit of the "Black Halo" and I can tell you that they're good songs of Kamelot but they clearly lack of energy too and even if we have some jewels like "Love You To Death", "Morning Star" or "Silence Of The Darkness", the other tracks are ok but surprising for Kamelot. It's just different, not worst but darker and not so "in your face" if you see what I mean. "Ghost Opera" is maybe a bit more complex and even a bit more Prog so it's not so easy of access, plus, the songs in general are more some kind of mid-tempo compositions so don't except any "Farewell" or "Center Of The Universe"? unfortunately.

But "Ghost Opera" is an original album in the discography of Kamelot and even if it's not their best production in my opinion, it's good to see that Kamelot is able to change a bit their sound album after album. The fans will maybe be a bit disappointed by this new release but if they give some time to "Ghost Opera", I'm sure that they will start to understand it a bit more and see that after all, it's maybe a bit different but not so commercial too and a lot more complex than some previous releases and that's not a bad point. When you add that one more time the production by Sascha Paeth is perfect and that the performances of the musicians is really good (one more time) it's hard to criticize the work of Kamelot. Note finally that you'll be able to find some few guests this time (Simone Simon does some choruses for example).

"Ghost Opera" is maybe not the best Kamelot but this is a solid album of Power Metal nonetheless. One more time, be sure that you'll take some time to listen to this release because it's not so easy of access and can be a bit boring at the first listening when you compare it to the previous albums. But a lot of the songs are interesting and a lot more complex than the previous ones so give its chance to "Ghost Opera" please because I think that Kamelot proves one more time with this release that they know what good Power Metal is.