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On disc: Voyager



UniVers - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
I Am The ReVolution - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars


www.voyager-australia.com







I Am The ReVolution

I Am The ReVolution
(Dockyard 2 - 2009)


The Australian band Voyager presents their 3rd album which is called I Am The ReVolution. Someone said about the band that they are the incarnation of 80's legendary band A-Ha, but in a metal way. And when you listen to the opener Land Of Lies, you'll understand. Partly Daniel Estrin sounds a bit like Morten Harket, but there are also elements of melodic death metal woven into the Voyager sound. With Common Ground they offer a synthi-based tune, somewhere between synthi pop and gothic metal. But they also show progressive elements, especially Lost is complex and more based in progressive metal - with a catchy hook. If The Devil In Me would be darker and more melancholy, it would almost sound like HIM... Fast and heavy is Straight To The Other Side, but again the vocals give it a different atmosphere. The vocals of In My Arms sound quite A-Ha-ish and if there wouldn't be the metal riffs then it would easily convince fans of the Norwegian band. One of my favorites is On The Run From The World, this one is heavy and melodic - an ear catcher! The closer is the title track I Am The ReVolution which kicks off with keyboard and vocals, then heavy riffs set in and they go full force. The song becomes a powerful progressive metal tune with vocals range from melodic vocals to almost whispered ones. And it's this contrast as well as the twists and turns which make this one stick out - and make you spin it again.
Voyager present a unique blend of music, they aren't afraid to add some pop elements or harsh vocals. They don't except limitations and I think they can convince people who aren't into metal, if they get the chance to... For metal heads who are looking for pure metal this is not the right choice, but everybody else should check them out! They invite you to join their musical revolution!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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UniVers

UniVers
(Dockyard 1 - 2007)


With Voyager another band from Australia is on the way. The debut Element V of Voyager was released in 2004 and now the multi-national band is back with UniVers. If the band members are sci-fi fans or had other reasons to choose this name, I don't know. But in an interview it should be possible to find out more about the band from Perth.
They kick off UniVers with Higher Experience and show that there are no limits in their music! Here they combine power metal with progressive elements, dark parts and symphonic keyboards. The song even has parts which remind me of some stadium rocker... Singer / keyboarder Daniel Estrin shows that he has a range of sounds to offer - from deep parts to higher notes and even growls. The keyboard at an airy sound to parts where guitar riffs dominate and complex drum patterns make this stand out. The track fades out with the sound of a busy phone line. With heavy, powerful riffs from Mark De Vattimo and Simone Dow the track Deep Weeds begins, but then the vocals take over for a moment. A catchy melodic rocker, but with some surprises! There are twists and turns you don't expect! Daniel Estrin's vocals add a dark note to the sound. And so you can say that they are voyagers in sonic worlds, coz it seems that they don't accept limits. On Pulse 04 they push it further and Estrin adds some high screams. Other songs like Everwaiting have a light dark wave feeling and sometimes the vocals have a slightly touch of Entwine's Mika Tauriainen. Falling has some anthem-like parts - a bit like old Helloween (Kiske era) -, but also some balladesque parts where the focus is on Estrin's vocals. They switch between the melodic power metal parts and parts where they pull back and reduce everything to focus on the vocals.
No surprise that they chose Sober for a video, coz the song has heavy parts, catchy melodies and the vocals are touching. Btw, the video clip is also on the CD, so check it out! Its the gothic touch which makes them differ from melodic progressive metal bands.
The band played in 2006 at ProgPower Europe - beside many shows in their home country through the years - and is already on the billing for ProgPower U.K. 2008! They plan to hit the European clubs, too.
Check out: Sober, Cross The Line and Falling.


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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           ©2008-2010 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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