Ultimate Fate - Beyond the Horizon
CD Info
2011
Self Released / Sweden
3 Tracks
English Lyrics
During my recent review of One Without’s Sweet Relief, when I said that Gothenburg, Sweden is home to a multitude of bands, I wasn’t kidding. No sooner had that review gone online that another Gothenburg-based band, Ultimate Fate, entered our radar. This band formed in 2008 when drummer Ola Olsson and guitarist Jacob Hede – two former members of the Swedish thrash metal outfit Violator – decided they wanted to create a more melodic kind of metal music. Three years later, they’ve accomplished exactly that. Ultimate Fate’s debut EP, Beyond the Horizon, gives listeners a taste of a promising band with a fresh take on symphonic metal.
I bet you’re wondering: How does a symphonic metal band set itself apart from so many other bands that make the same kind of music? In Ultimate Fate’s case, their music can be classified not as classically influenced symphonic metal, but as heavy melodic metal with symphonic nuances. Thus, Beyond the Horizon includes healthy servings of vibrant guitars and drumming, with keyboards and synth-strings accentuating key points in the music. Also working to Ultimate Fate’s advantage is singer Jennie Nord. Her mid-range voice can soothe you to sleep and then wake you up with wild, Kate Bush-like wails. Finally, the band has undeniable chemistry and great songwriting skills. Listeners will feel Ultimate Fate’s passion for their music and hear the way each note falls into place so naturally. All of these factors inject Beyond the Horizon with a ferocity that’s welcome to one’s ears.
Beyond the Horizon contains only three songs. Each one, however, shows different sides of the Ultimate Fate sound. "Horizon" opens the EP with elastic grooves, airy piano notes, and light symphonics that interweave without overpowering one another. Nord’s voice ranges from tender to dramatic as she sings her valentine. "Retribution" deceives with a slow acoustic-and-strings intro before swinging into a faster, dreamy prog-symphonic escapade. Its lyrics seem to be more about finding one’s inspiration or purpose than seeking vengeance: "You came over the water and sea, to release me / You said, all of this land will be free, beneath me."
The final track – and the best on the EP, in my opinion – is "Beyond Fear." Nord commands the song like a sorceress stirring the skies into a tempest. Then come the resounding orchestrations and the male background vocals (Olsson’s growls on the verses, and keyboardist Andreas Berqvist on the refrains). Ominous lyrics complete the doomsday feel: "The spirits of old sail across the sea / Like a silent force inside of me / I hear their screaming voices / My mind in a thousand pieces." If one song by any young female-fronted metal band rivals Within Temptation or Nightwish at their most menacing, Ultimate Fate’s "Beyond Fear" is it.
Now, to be honest, it’s damn difficult to critique a CD that has only three songs. I wish I could hear more of Ultimate Fate’s music before I judge it. That said, while I love "Beyond Fear," I only like the other two tracks on Beyond the Horizon. By that, I mean that I enjoy "Horizon" and "Retribution" enough to keep them on my iPod playlist for a while. However, both songs lack that certain spark that would make them truly unforgettable. The other flaws on Beyond the Horizon are relatively minor. The English-language errors in the lyrics ("lifes" instead of "lives," for example) are noticeable when you read the lyrics, but barely discernable when you listen to them. And, like every up-and-coming symphonic metal band these days, Ultimate Fate is bound to run into that brick-wall, cynical attitude some people have about symphonic metal. (You know, "Dude, it’s symphonic metal. Every band sounds the same!") Sure, I could compare Ultimate Fate to a plethora of groups from the same genre. The truth is, though, those comparisons wouldn’t be fair – because Ultimate Fate has something exciting to offer to the metal scene.
Thus, Beyond the Horizon does more than tease the listener. In less than 15 minutes, it takes the willing rider for a thrilling flight through romance, passion, and imagination. The sleek production and exceptional sound undoubtedly contribute to the EP’s smooth flow. But, the five members of Ultimate Fate are the stars here. The band’s songwriting and chemistry, the emphasis of heavy metal over the symphonics, and Nord’s bewitching voice – they all add up to a fantastic musical package that "femme metal" fans will clamor for. I’ll still reserve my final judgment for Ultimate Fate’s first full-length album (which the band is working on right now). However, it seems that every year one genuinely good symphonic metal band makes its big breakthrough. Last year, that band was Diabulus in Musica. This year, that band may very well be Ultimate Fate.
8.5 / 10
Highly recommended for fans of Within Temptation, Nightwish, ReVamp, and other female-fronted symphonic metal bands
Listen to Beyond the Horizon here, and visit Ultimate Fate’s website for details on where to listen to and purchase Beyond the Horizon.
