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Artist: Infinity Overture |
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One
label that seem to have the magic touch in the world of Progressive Rock
and Metal are Lion Music and again the label has come up trumps with the
debut Infinity Overture opus 'Kingdom Of Utopia'. Infinity
Overture is the brainchild of Niels Vejlyt and together with vocalist
Ian Parry the pair have come up with one of the concept albums of the
year in 'Kingdom Of Utopia'. The
perfect album needs the perfect band to bring to life the story and the
music, so with Vejlyt on guitars and Parry on vocals, the rest of the
band is complete with Mads Volf on drums, Mads Damgaard on bass, all
that is needed is a female vocals to fill in the final piece of the
puzzle and in Lene Pedersen they have found the perfect partner to
accompany Parry’s style. This
is film score metal at it’s best opening up in dramatic style with 'Millenia',
a rampaging yet melodic opener, mixing the progressive metal elements
with some tight straight up metal and that obligatory orchestral sound,
in a mix that is just quite stunning for a debut track on a debut album. As
the story is unveiled with album builds on crescendos of pure titanic
overtures of guitars and thunderbolt flashes of drums and bass all
interwoven with the two vocalist from the double kick spectacle of 'The
Great Believers', the almost Magnum like 'Warrior King', with Parry
mixing the vocal style of Bob Catley with Biff Byford for a power and
grace mix that fits the music so well. The
album is an all-conquering succession of great melodies and orchestral
infused metal wrapped around a massive vocal presence and with a epic
tale to tell. With
great pieces like ‘Wonderland’ and the superb title track ‘Kingdom
Of Utopia’, together with the majestic tones of ‘Queen of Hearts’,
all superb musical pieces that flow so well and carry on the story. These
are some quite magnificent pieces to this album, but for me ‘Sacred
Fire’ can't be topped. A massive track that just oozes class and
is Parry’s finest vocal on the album. And
when this majestic album closes with ‘War Cry’, this is where the
skills of guitarist Vejlyt really shine as he shreds through the track
like a demon. You feel like you’ve been on that journey and
traveled to find you Utopia and taken up sword to defend what is yours. Well
what about the story?, you might well ask. It’s quite a lengthy
tale but the bio accompanying this album breaks things down track by
track so here it is ... Long
ago there existed a kingdom and in that kingdom lived the gentiles. A
peace loving people whose skills covered a wonderful variety of gifted
crafts from architects to painters and philosophers to mathematicians.
Over (1.) millennia their understanding of a balance between man and
nature evolved. They created a language understood throughout their
world and the essence of this unique form of communication was its
principle, “purity of mind”. Their talents helped them create
methods for enhancing the natural resources within the ground. They
combining rich soils with stone and formed these elements into a
hardened rock, which they shaped into different forms and sizes. From
this new source they built colossal structures and temples long before
the Maya’s and their domain became a forbidden place to the outside
world. These
(2.) great believers saw a world of the future in perfect harmony. Their
strength and power came from words and not the sword. Communication
formed a unity of ideas, which side by side formed together as one. This
ancient language had helped them to survive for thousands of years. Alas
for the first time this tranquil peaceful society would come under
treat. Unbeknown to the gentiles (3.) a warrior king called
Maddogcladees began building his own empire. An empire for emperors
belonging to his forefather’s tribe. A portrait from their tribal
paintings of long ago, showed his forefathers had predicted the birth of
a warrior king. Now finally his own Mandie Empire was complete and his
destiny clear. He must lead his people into battle whatever the cost. Believing
in the consolation of the stars, the stars proclaimed the existence of a
(4.) wonderland. There
they would find a city of angels. And so they set-off in search of this
lost world into the great frontier. The gentiles not realising the
existence of others, had built these magnificent (5.) temples of doom.
These temples would draw the strangers closer to them, finally placing
their race under direct treat. Maddogcladees
so it was written was destined to become the ultimate ruler. A pharaoh
in his kingdom the (6.) kingdom of utopia. Anticipating a great battle
full of glory the unexpected happened. The gentiles did not rise-up in
anger, but instead greeted the warriors with open arms. They sent
forward their most precious gift of all, their immaculate being. Their
princess whose beauty was so
stunning would steal the warrior’s heart. Astonishingly Maddogcladees
this fierce warrior king would fall in love with one so fair and kind.
In his eyes she was the one; his (7.) queen of hearts. Believing
her to be part of his destiny, he took this fair maiden as his bride to
be. He decreed that there marriage was a bond uniting these two peoples.
And so the princess became the mother of pearl watching over the Mandie
tribe and the Gentiles throughout this great new world. The
warrior king stood by his queen’s side and lay down his sword. For a
while he kept it close by in case the good times turned to bad. This
unity as he thought would not last and his soldiers became restless.
Their king swore an oath that he would bring them gold and riches beyond
belief. How could this place be their kingdom of utopia, whilst the
riches their king had promised never appeared? Only their king was happy
with his new bride. However
fate would come to their rescue. Slowly the waters around this kingdom
would begin to rise. The rains poured down bringing a great flood. Many
were reluctant to leave, but the warrior king believed they must flee
this precious land. The stars would lead them to safety pointing the way
to a haven. Although it was hard to leave their past behind they built a
massive boat. An impressive structure being only one of a kind they
set-off traveling to a place they could not see on the other side of
nowhere. Crossing what to them seemed like (8.) oceans of time they
battled on together through rough seas and stormy weather. Finally
warrior and gentiles alike would find their Utopia, a safe place on high
ground with an abundance of fruit and fresh water. Multi-coloured birds
filled the skies and tame animals wandered freely. The great floods
resided and as it was predicted they had found their paradise. Finally
this proud nation could rejoice in their new land. In honour of their
gods and ancestors they built a monument on the highest mountain where
they placed (9.) a sacred fire and lit an eternal flame to protect and
shine across this peaceful sacred land. All
in all a really great album that sets the listener out on their own road
to Utopia and will be right up there at the end of the year as one of
the albums of the year. |
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Tracklisting:
01.
Millenia
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All content copyright of The Mayfair Mall Zine unless otherwise stated. |
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