Agharti - Change
CD Info
2013
WormHoleDeath / Aural Music
13 Tracks
English Lyrics
“We must be the change we want to see in the world.” This quote from late peace activist Mahatma Ghandi is one of the most recognizable in history. It’s also the quote that closes Change, the debut full-length album by Agharti. Don’t let that tidbit give you the impression that Agharti preach and protest through their music, though. Formed in 2009, this female-fronted alternative metal band from Croatia has already learned to balance their lyrical themes between social and personal issues. Their success with this feat makes Change one of the best “femme metal” surprises of 2013.
The first thing that listeners will notice on Change is Agharti’s focused, homogenous style. Part of this is due to the crisp production from Jonathan Mazzeo (The Way Of Purity, Niobeth, Bleed Someone Dry) and the impeccable mix quality from Christian Donaldson (The Agonist). Agharti deserves the rest of the credit, and rightly so. The band cranks out concise songs that are alive with distorted, assertive guitar riffs and synthesized symphonic hints. Keyboardist Ivana Mrduljaš is responsible for the latter, serving everything from quiet ambiances to lively complements that could pass as real violins. Vocally, the album’s first half features a “tag-team” approach that’s reminiscent of Lacuna Coil. Lead singer Tina Bukić handles most of the lines, while a male singer (maybe guitarist / lead composer Alen Mršić?) cuts in now and then with gravelly shouts and grunts. The second half of Change, however, belongs to Tina. Her youthful, emotional voice and pop/rock-ish sensibility may not be to everyone’s liking, but those traits help her nail the thoughtful subject matter and enhance the melodies.
Change hands one earworm after another to the listener. Agharti obviously understand the importance of musical hooks and matching melodies with lyrics that are easy to sing along with and to remember after each song ends. “The Sky Is Falling” and “Away From Here” exhibit both qualities and are bound to become fan favorites. Other songs display the band’s ability to pair dynamics with complementing hooks. “Lost” pulses with urgency thanks to hurtling rhythms, bouncy keys, and Alen’s quick shouting coupled with Tina’s longer-held lines. The guitars and keyboards play off each other even more on “End Of Your Domination,” zigzagging through each other and creating some terrific tension.
As mentioned earlier, Agharti also reveal a socially conscious side on Change. Through Tina and Ivana’s lyrics, the band shares their observations and encourages others to care and to act with compassion. They tackle political corruption on “Mendacity,” a midtempo number that benefits from another fantastic entwining of guitar riffs and bobbing keys. “Fallen” sprints and glides as Tina muses about leadership, while the dramatic “Awaken” sways with contrasts and the weight of ethical choices. The “Voice Of…” vignettes offer the same kind of careful commentary and range from raging symphonic-inspired rock (“The Voice Of Freedom”) to choir-accented, classical piano balladry (“The Voice Of Change”).
While Agharti’s songwriting on Change shines at its brightest moments, it needs improvement at other times. The band remembered to include catchy melodies and hooks, dynamic arrangements, and memorable lyrics in some tracks, but not in others. So while the strongest numbers flourish, others fall flat because they lack elements that grab the listener’s attention. I actually had trouble recalling tracks like “Words Unspoken” and “To A Friend” and had to revisit them in order to figure out why I had that problem. The hooks themselves are terrific on every track, save on “Rise Again.” The violin frenzy during that song’s chorus doesn’t mesh well with the music and melodies.
None of these flaws, however, undermine Agharti’s impressive overall effort on Change. This band certainly isn’t the first on the metal scene to merge social reflections with a melodic, accessible sound – but they do so with conviction and ease. And in an era where it’s increasingly difficult for newer bands to bring anything unique to the scene, making the right artistic choices often leads to standing out in the crowd. That’s what Agharti have done so far. They may not be one of the most original-sounding bands out there, but they’re already pretty damn good at what they’re doing. And Change is rousing proof of it.
8.25 / 10
Highlights: “Lost,” “End Of Your Domination,” “Mendacity,” “Awaken”
For Fans Of: Evanescence, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil, Delain, We Are The Fallen, Kells, One Without
Change will be released worldwide by WormHoleDeath / Aural Music later this year. Stay tuned to Agharti’s Facebook page for more information.
