• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

September 2024

• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: PComing Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

July 2024

• Ironflame: Kingdom Torn Asunder
• Spektra: Hypnotized
• (Michael) Palace: Reckless Heart
• Mr. Big: Ten
• Dark Mile: Dark Mile

June 2024

• Kaipa: Sommargryningsljus
• Sunbomb: Light Up The Sky
• Seven Spires: A Fortress Called Home
• Atlantic: Another World
• Xeneris: Eternal Rising
• New Horizon: Conquerors
• Issa: Another World

May 2024

• Rhapsody Of Fire: Challenge The Wind
• Cloven Hoof: Heathen Cross
• Perseus: Into The Silence
• Yes: Talk (1994/2024) Reissue
• Marty Friedman: Drama
• Demon: Invincible
• The Treatment: Wake Up The Neighbourhood
• The Tangent: To Follow Polaris
• Riot V: Mean Streets
• Anette Olzon: Rapture
• FM: Old Habits Die Hard

April 2024

• War Grave: War Grave EP
• Six By Six: Beyond Shadowland
• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

[ More Music Reviews ]

Visionatica: Enigma Fire

Melodic Symphonic Metal

3.5/5.0

Website Facebook Twitter
Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 10.07.2019 | Released: 12.07.2019

... And once more there's nothing new under the sun. Here's another female-fronted symphonic metal band. Making their debut back in 2016, Germany's Visionatica returns with their sophomore album, Enigma Fire, now signed to Italy's Frontier Music. Visionatica features vocalist Tamara Avodem behind the microphone.

Mind Key

Cutting to the chase with this review, I don't need to explain the essence or elements of female-fronted symphonic metal. If you have some interest in Within Temptation, Nightwish, Delain, Xandria, and the like, you will find Visionatica traversing the similar trail. But to explore a bit more. Ms Avodem is essentially a soprano with some range of which following and raising the melody of the song is of most importance. In the words, she performs as expected. (Nevertheless, sometimes I felt that she was simply going through the motions.) Also expected is the nature of Visionatica's music: bombastic orchestration to wrap around mostly melodic metal, sometimes with some power metal speed. Underneath, you'll find the traditional rock rhythm and groove. Guitar solos are abundant, with a few choice keyboard moments thrown in. Again, there's nothing new or novel about Visionatica in the symphonic metal genre. So what sets Visionatica apart from the peers? Not much, really. As for the songs, again, nothing jumped out for me. All songs were adequate for Visionatica's chosen metal genre.

All said, with Enigma Fire, Visionatica offers the expected and typical female-fronted symphonic melodic metal adequate for the genre. Their peers need not worry about the competition. RIYL: Within Temptation, Nightwish, Delain, Xandria, Visions Of Atlantis, et al.

Holy Tide: Aquila

Symphonic Progressive Power Metal

4.5/5.0

Arriving from Italy, Holy Tide is a new project by composer and bass player Joe Caputo. The debut album, Aquila features an international cast of recurring and guest ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

With Enigma Fire, Visionatica offers the expected and typical female-fronted symphonic melodic metal adequate for the genre. RIYL: Within Temptation, Nightwish, Delain, Xandria, et al.

Alphabetical Index

We have to dig deep, three decades, to find the origins of Atlantic, a project of songwriter, musician, and producer Simon Harrison (then Stranger, Wisht). Initially thought to be a one-off recording, Harrison ... [ Read More ]