Reign of the Architect - Rise
CD Info
2013
Pitch Black Records
15 Tracks
English Lyrics
Although this is the debut album for the Reign of the Architect project, this is an idea that guitarist and band mastermind Yuval Kramer has been developing for over five years. Now add to this, the fact that Kramer has his own story to tell. He overcame childhood deafness to become an accomplished artist that has now created his own heavy metal opera to add to the pantheon of rock. (When you hear this album, try to keep those important factors in mind.) It will help to appreciate all the work put into creating this dramatic story, as you listen to this 2013 release.
Rise was released on May 14, 2013 by Pitch Black Records in the USA.
Kramer and Reign of the Architect are headquartered out of Israel. RotA is a symphonic progressive metal band whose members include: Yuval Kramer from Israel on guitars; Davidavi Dolev from Israel on vocals; Denise Scorofitz from Israel on vocals; Tom Gefen, on vocals; Nina Vouraki from Greece on keyboards; and Yuval Tamir from Israel on drums. Rise also features guest appearances from: Jeff Scot Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen and Journey), Mike LePond (Symphony X), and Joost Van Den Broek (Ayreon and After Forever).
Rise is a well-planned and conceptualized dual layered story spread over three "acts" on this fifteen track album. It is a two part concept, telling a tale of love, and the destruction and survival in the aftermath of this power struggle. The mastermind behind Reign of the Architect, Yuval Kramer comments: "The story-line is an allegory of the powers that rage inside the human soul. Titles like good and evil, right or wrong are subjective terms which we only use to legitimize our actions. We wanted to focus on the survival instinct, which, in times of need, forces us to victimize ourselves and bend the rules just to turn the scale. Then we have to destroy this self and re-build a new one who will eventually do exactly the same in the next similar situation. We wanted to point out this eternal battle between creation and destruction that wages inside the human psyche since the beginning of time, to grasp this feeling of being alone when it is most crowded."
In addition, a love triangle between the Lad, (aka The Architect), the girl, and their teacher ensues. Accusations fly between the three characters, and Lad runs away. He meets an alien who claims they created humankind and are returning in frustration because of the way humans have managed planet Earth. The aliens give Lad the power to destroy humankind, and a frustrated Lad endeavors to follow their command.
I won’t spoil the ending, but this is an epic Ayreon-like tale full of emotion, screaming and growling vocals, power lead electric guitars, heavy thunder bass and drums, dark keyboards and yes mayhem.
My favorite sections of the album include the glorious female operatic vocal opening set to strings and full surround sound orchestration. This album opens fast and powerful, as the dramatic cover artwork foretells. "Different Heart", opens with Joost Van Den Broek singing "This is futile", which sounds very similar to the opening line, "This is the end", to Adele’s recent Bond smash hit "Skyfall", set to dripping piano and violins. "Hymn to Loneliness", is full of deep cellos, and sad emotional orchestration providing the sympathy requested. "False" is full of nice acoustic guitar at the opening, Van Den Broek’s vocals, orchestration, cellos and plenty of drama without screaming or growling. The orchestration is stellar throughout the album, capturing rare moods with woodwinds, violins, cellos, and choirs. That is when the album works best.
However, the growling and yelling, which begins on "Leaking Wounds", and doesn’t let up until near the album’s conclusion is one of the sincere drawbacks for me. The album loses its entertainment value once you begin to hear track after track screamed at the top of lungs. The brilliant production loses its entertainment and music value when you feel like you’re being yelled at instead of being entertained.
Fans of Blind Guardian, Ayreon, Pain of Salvation, Kamelot and Devin Townsend will enjoy this album.
Band Website:
Reign of the Architect
7.5 / 10
