Band:	Nova Orbis
Album:	Imago
Style:	Symphonic gothic metal
Release date:	September 2009

01. Castle Of Exile
02. Unstable Mind
03. Dark Delusion
04. Ancient Guardian
05. Change
06. Love Remains
07. The Lamp
08. Sarah Deserves To Rest
09. Falling Of The Empire
10. Wisdom Hunter

I perfectly know that South America is a real metal land and I usually say that one day, when the bands from all these countries will wake up, it will become an important place for Metal industry. This is not the case yet but more and more bands from there cross the oceans and start to get a name in Europe (of course I'm not talking about the confirmed bands from Brazil?). Nova Orbis is one of them, and Imago is their first album. Still unsigned, the band is trying to get a name in Europe and maybe that it could work, with a bit of time?

Imago doesn't sound like some Nightwish clone and the voice of Ana María Barajas, the main singer, is dark and loud. The band is more "metal" for sure and the riffs can be more aggressive, though the whole thing lacks a bit of personality and this is the main problem of Nova Orbis. This is not a bad band and there is potential here but even if the music is not bad, something is missing. It's a just a bit too basic and lacks of personality. Some songs have flutes and it's a bit Folk, that's not so bad actually and this is a way to be different of the other female bands but this is not enough. Nova Orbis just play dark Power Metal with some symphonic arrangements and a female singer and even if the songs featured on this album aren't so bad, it's smell a bit the "déjà vu". I cannot say though that it's horrible to listen to Imago but this is just so unoriginal that you'll not want to listen to it again and again?

The music of Nova Orbis is just too cliché, and that's its main problem. The guys are not bad and, I say it again, the songs are not so bad but what we like to hear today are songs which surprise us, and this is not the case of this release. Too bad, the albums is not so badly done and I'm sure that they have the potential to do something better?

Nova Orbis is not a bad band but their music is just too formatted and come too late. Five years ago, maybe that it would have worked but today, this is just too cliché and outdated to be attractive. If they really want to become famous, the band will have to create their own sound, this is not easy but I think that they can do it. Let's see in the future, but for now Imago is only recommended for people who still listen to female bands which follow an old trend.