On disc: Almah

 
Fragile Equality
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Motion
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Unfold
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

Unfold

(Scarlet Records - 2013)



 
 

 

Edu Falaschi started Almah in 2006 as a project, in 2012 he left Angra and is now focusing on Almah. He has two new members in the band, bassist Raphael Dafras and guitarist Gustavo Di Pádua.



With In My Sleep they open the album with a fast, melodic tune. While the song is easy to get into, it's quite complex and gives the instrumentalists the chance to shine. They slow down for Beware The Stroke, but then the song becomes a heavy, stomping track where Edu Falaschi can vary and show more facets of his vocal talent.



Their heavy side they show at Cannibals In Suits, a tune with an aggressive edge - and a great hook. Twists and turns included, so you get a symphonic passage and some neo-classical guitar play. Among my favorites is Believer, a melodic power metal tune with tempi changes and different sound elements. This tune represents the album quite good. Another track I would recommend to check out is You Gotta Stand. Another highlight is Treasure Of The Gods, a long track which gives space to vary and to combine sounds. The closer is called Farewell and is a slow piano-based tune - and the only ballad at Unfold.



If you liked the first Almah albums you won't be disappointed at all, but I can recommend the album to every fan of melodic power metal! Well done!



 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 













Motion

(AFM Records - 2011)



 
 

 

With Motion Almah is back, it's been 3 years since the release of Fragile Equality.



The guys kick off with Hypnotized, a tune which start mid-paced but then speeds up a bit. The opening passage offers prominent guitar play, but then the atmosphere changes. The epic touch of the opening passage gives way to a modern sound. A sonic roller coaster ride with melodic passages, complex elements, heavy grooves and a dash of NU metal - all spiced up with some shredding. With Living And Drifting they continue. Some passages show reminiscences to other songs / bands, but Almah melt them together and embed them in their own sound universe. Days Of The New offers some tribal drums and a very catchy refrain. Partly Edu Falaschi's vocals remind me a bit of Michael Kiske... Would be a good pick for a single / video. Balladesque Bullets On The Altar opens, soon they speed up and add some heavy riffing - keeping the balladesque edge. Very cool.



Time to push down the accelerator for Zombies Dictator, a quite heavy track. In the middle part the guitar riffing attacks you like curtain fire, then a short solo and back into the fight. The melodic passages ennoble the song and make it more memorable.



For Trace Of Trait the fivesome shoot a video, so you can check out this tune yourself:











A slow, heavy groove dominates Soul Alight at the beginning, but then the Brazilians take you onto another roller coaster ride of heavy grooves, fast drumming next to keyboard-laden melodic passages. With Late Night In '85 they present a more reduced sound, a sleazy ballad which has a dash of Guns N' Roses in it.



Daydream Lucidity is in a way showing the different facets of Almah's sound. Even if fast parts and heavy grooves are missing. With When And Why they close Motion. Acoustic guitar leads you into the closer, an expressive tune. A great ballad which can shine due to the reduced sound.



Resume: Almah found their own identity, looks like it was a good choice to give it time and not deliver albums every year.

 

 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 













Fragile Equality

(AFM Records - 2008)



 
 

 

Most fans will know Edu Falaschi from Angra and a few will know also his former band Symbols - a band he founded with his brother Tito. Almah he started as a side-project and whenever there is time he revives Almah. This is their second album and now it's band while the album was more a project then a band due to the guest musicians.

Fragile Equality kicks off symphonically and becomes a heavy power metal tune. But Birds Of Prey also offers progressive structures, neo-classical guitar - now the voice-over disturbed my line of thinking... I'm lost, thanks to the voice over at the promotional copy. And actually the voice-over parts disturb the flow and the concentration, well I will try to do my best, but the rating will be influenced by this. Sorry, but this makes it real tough to make a review.

A symphonic keyboard melody leads into Beyond Tomorrow, the progressive power metal is catchy and Edu Falaschi sounds a bit like Bruce Dickinson... The powerful track needs a few spins to grow, it's not an ear catcher, but after few spins this one will haunt you. Magic Flame kicks off with a dark atmosphere, but the fast guitar part is quite Helloween-ish and carries this happy feeling... They slow down a bit for All I Am which is an emotional balladesque tune. In my opinion the song is more intense, partly because they slow down a bit. At You'll Understand you first here thunder, but when they head into the song it becomes a dark melodic speed metal tune, even if the keyboard lights up the sound a bit. The classic citations fit well and - lost again after the voice over - ... a neo-classical guitar solo is added. Quite different sounds Invisible Cage, which reminds me of something.. Anyway, the song has a dark atmosphere - a dash aggression -, then they slow down a bit and light up. The title track is a fast, riff-based rocker and they go full force ahead. The song has a thrashy part, but also short melodic passages and a catchy chorus. The track Torn is quite cool, but the neo-classical guitar passage annoys me a bit, others might dig it for the guitar part...

I can only recommend to listen to a few tracks and to make up your mind about Almah's latest piece of work. I'm sorry, but due to the voice-over the flow is destroyed, you miss parts and its too annoying to give the album a few more spins - something which is essential for a proper review. At least in my opinion... Check out: Torn, You'll Understand, Fragile Equality and Shade Of My Soul.
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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