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Galderia: Return Of The Cosmic Men
Galderia - Return Of The Cosmic Men CD Album Review

Galderia: Return Of The Cosmic Men

Melodic/Heavy/Power Metal
4.5/5.0

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Massacre Records
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 12.07.2017

Though I've reviewed bands from France, it's not the first country I think of for heavy metal. But they do exist with bands such as Fairyland, Adagio, and Nightmare to name a few. (Curiously when doing a Google search for "French heavy metal bands," the larger genre represented in a Wikipedia list was death metal. Some death metal doesn't go well Bordueax wine.) Mostly, I get pitched one or two French metal bands in the same amount of years. So here's Galderia, a new band for me.

Galderia Band Photo

Galderia

Galderia was formed some 11 years ago by vocalist Seb. After releasing three demos as free downloads between 2006 and 2009, the band eventually recorded The Universality. It was not only their debut album, but also established Seb's life philosophy to lyrics and music: the universal spirit of unity and the elevation of consciousness aka The Universality. With their latest and second album Return Of The Cosmic Men the theme continues: the massive awakening that is happening on earth, and the return of the enlightened beings. Yeah, I hear you. A bunch of New Age mumbo jumbo. At least, Galderia isn't doing death metal, raping babies and puppies or disemboweling kittens and pregnant women.

Musically, then, Galderia plays full-tilt melodic power metal. It's got the standard stuff of the genre with twin guitar harmony, generous melody, gallop and groove in the rhythm section, clean vocals, and thrilling guitar solos. Yet, some of those elements are squared, even quadrupled, really standing out. One large element is the vocal arrangements. Lead vocals are large with Seb joined by one or two others to sing lead. The result is a tremendous, melodic and harmonious, choral quality to the arrangements. They also make the refrains arresting and catchy as with High Up In The Air, Celestial Harmony, or Living Forevermore. The choral opening to the title cut is nearly hymn like. Another powerful element is simply the strength of harmonious guitar lines and blistering solos. If you love feisty fret work as much as I do, you will love the abundance of solos within this album.

All in all, these things make for strong songs and an overall strong album. Most everything here is galloping power metal with the exception of Wake Up The World, which is slower melodic metal anthem. But don't fret, at the end of the album, as a bonus, Galderia rearranges the song into power metal. If there is any disappointment, it's Legions Of Light where the choral vocal element takes a back seat to rather generic European power metal. Nevertheless, on the strength of powerful harmonic and choral vocal arrangements, Galderia's Return Of The Cosmic Men is rather outstanding melodic power metal. Easily recommended.



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The Bottom Line

On the strength of powerful harmonic and choral vocal arrangements, Galderia's Return Of The Cosmic Men is rather outstanding melodic power metal. Easily recommended.

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