After a few months, it seemed as though
2016 was looking fairly weak in the power metal department. Of course, that’s
easy to say when you miss major releases, as I did with Serenity’s “Codex
Atlanticus”. This band is fairly new to me, despite this record being their 5th
full-length album. The Austrian four-piece group has a somewhat unique sound,
even though this record is pumped full of power metal clichés.
The obvious thing that needs to be
addressed first is the band’s singer. There are moments on this record where he
channels Tony Kakko’s voice better than the man himself could do. And while
thousands of Sonata Arctica fans will no doubt be disappointed tomorrow when
the band releases another frustrating record (myself included), Serenity offers
you the chance to hear what that man’s voice could do on a real power metal
record. Not only does lead singer Georg Neuhauser sound a lot more inspired and
excited than Kakko has in recent years, but he’s got solid music to back him up
as well. To be fair to Neuhauser, he does have his own flare on more than a few
occasions, but those tend to be the exception rather than the rule.
“Codex Atlanticus” can’t be described as
having one sound. Serenity has put together a diverse mix of tempos and
feelings, amongst varying levels of heaviness. Regardless of which path the
band takes, they usually succeed. Relative to other bands of this style, Serenity does lay on the symphonics a bit thicker, but not in a particularly cheesy way, instead opting for a grander, more epic sound. “Follow Me”, the first full track, is an
obvious winner and likely has already become a crowd favourite, but two very
nice surprises are the two ballad-esque tracks: “My Final Chapter” and “The
Perfect Woman” (the latter track being considerably heavier at times). Both are filled with symphonic goodness that will make fans of
some of Avantasia’s softer material delighted. “Sprouts of Terror” brings the
speed that is so desperately needed in power metal to remain exciting.
The only real downside to this record is
the fact that Serenity simply aren’t as good as some of the bigger names in the
subgenre. Bands like the aforementioned Sonata Arctica are just coasting off
their reputation at this point, but other groups like Avantasia and Primal Fear
have both created truly killer albums this year. Serenity is a step below these
bands in execution, but it doesn’t make “Codex Atlanticus” worth ignoring. Just
the opposite in fact; this is sure to become a favourite amongst those who are
willing to explore beyond the surface of power metal.
Highlights
"Follow Me"
"Reason"
"My Final Chapter"
Final Rating
3.9/5 or 78%.
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