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Allen/Olzon: Worlds Apart
Russell Allen / Anette Olzon - Worlds Apart Art Work

Allen/Olzon: Worlds Apart

Melodic/Symphonic/Power Metal
4.5/5.0

Website (Label)
Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 04.03.2020 | Released: 06.03.2020

We all can recall the partnership of vocalists Russell Allen (Symphony X, Adrenaline Mob) and Jorn Lande. But you ask what has been going on lately with a Russell and "who" project? Well, for one, the "who" is not a male voice, but rather vocalist Anette Olzon, late of Nightwish, and currently with The Dark Element. Additionally, songwriter, producer, and guitar wizard Magnus Karlsson is back in the fold and at the helm for Russell/Olzon's first collaboration, Worlds Apart.

Russell Allen / Anette Olzon - Click For Larger Image

Russell Allen / Anette Olzon

With this mighty triumvirate of musicians the listener can expect to hear an epic, melodic and symphonic, heavy power metal mixture of tunes. Between the symphonic synths and Karlsson's wall of riffage, the arrangements are both dense and bombastic, while turning on their fair share of power metal gallop. Then there's Karlsson's terrific guitar work where he spares neither ambition nor creativity in his large solos. There's little doubt the project is as much about his skills as it is the skills of vocalists Allen and Olzon. Which begs the question, in this album of vocal duets who has the upper hand? The voices or the music? I think it may be a split decision.

In some songs where Allen And Olzon cooperate the clarity of both voices is heard. You'll hear this within No Sign Of Life, My Enemy, Who's Gonna Stop Me Now, and What If I Live, where Olzon adds an ethereal choral layer. Alternatively, with the quite dense, heavy, and bombastic Worlds Apart, both the music and Allen push Olzon to the background. Additionally, both vocalists get an opportunity to display their vocal gifts in solo efforts (at least as best as I could tell). Russell seems to be on his own with Never Die and Who You Really Are; Olzon within I'll Never Leave You, and perhaps One More Chance and Cold Inside. These are my best guesses without having the song credits before me.

Nevertheless, the pairing of vocalists Russell Allen and Anette Olzon is a special and impressive one as their voices fit well together. Adding producer and guitarist Magnus Karlsson to the mix only makes their debut collaboration, Worlds Apart, a mighty album of melodic and symphonic power metal. Recommended.


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The Bottom Line

The pairing of vocalists Russell Allen and Anette Olzon is a special and impressive one as their voices fit well together. Adding producer and guitarist Magnus Karlsson to the mix only makes their debut collaboration, Worlds Apart, a mighty album of melodic and symphonic power metal. Recommended.

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