CD Info
2011
Napalm Records
6 Tracks
English Lyrics

EPs aren’t usually all that good, let’s be honest. They’re usually excess tracks, stuff that didn’t make the cut on the big release but we figure we can make a buck or two off it from the bands hard core fans. Either that or we’re using it to introduce the band and it actually has good stuff on it. Whyzdom’s first release comes to mind, and more recently, that devastating release from Seduce the Heaven. But those are exceptions to the rule. So, I wasn’t expecting much from this one, especially since the band had just released a full CD, Delta, just a few months ago. This one had "rejects" written all over it. But, I got some gentle prodding from our resident staff prodder, whose name shall go unmentioned but whose initials are RS for those of you with an intense curiosity. And lo and behold, this was way more than just a selection of rejects. In fact, I’m not sure how these failed to make the cut for Delta, not that that release wasn’t up to par for VoA.

VoA has a long history, and one with a lot of beautiful music. The band dates back to the turn of the century where vocals were carried by Christian Stani and Nicole Bogner. A number of solid axe men carried the guitar load but turnover was the one constant throughout the next 11 years. The Trinity CD in 2007 saw new vocalists, Mario Plank, well, he wasn’t really new, but the female vocalist Melissa Ferlaak was. And she came with a new guitarist, Wolfgang Koch… and left with him shortly thereafter. . . along with several other members. Well, the game of chair shifting on the Titanic finally settled and what emerged was a solid metal sound, this time with Greek songstress Maxi Nil working alongside Plank on vocals. The sound isn’t significantly different than previous versions although Planks vocals have gotten better and Nil certainly doesn’t disappoint, although matching Ferlaak is a task for any vocalist. Just a matter of taste as far as I’m concerned. But VoA seems to be about song writing, and overall excellence in the delivery and production angles. And this EP, while it may break no new ground, certainly provides a level of musical competence that we have come to expect from the band. There’s not a half bad selection on the disk.

There’s an interesting mix of music on the relatively limited EP. The title track is, for those of us who weren’t there for whatever reason, and I have my reasons, a cover of an 80s song by a German artist named Sandra who, frankly, I never heard of but then I can barely remember my best friends from back in the 80s or who I was married to. The new and improved version is clearly far superior from a number of perspectives. I asked Maxi about the song but probably didn’t do a very good job of phrasing the question as her response was, "Maria Magdalena was Mrs Jesus Christ...his girl". Now, I may be a Pagan but I have attended a few Christian churches and that wasn’t what I would call an earthshaking revelation. The track does, however, kick off the EP in style. You get that solid keyboard symphonic that serves as a trademark for VoA in combination with the guitar riffs that build a pounding support for the vocals. And those vocals are way better than good. Nil can do a metal song with the best of them, and with a voice that provides a lot to work with in the production room. Her interaction with Plank is also first rate, the two of them do some of the best vocal tradeoffs in the business. Maxi added that the band saw the track as a "cool metal cover since we are all ‘creatures of the night’. The EP is a little darker (lyric-wise) than Delta. We talk about dark thoughts that haunt us, we write about life after death or even long for our loved ones on ‘the other side’ .Creepy but very inspiring...". Ahh, the Goth perspective, nothing I like better, especially when brought to life in such a kick ass metal framework.

Those dark lyrics do turn up in several tracks, and each track does, indeed, have a significant "individualistic" perspective. That can be a matter of which vocalist runs the show or can be determined by the pace of the selection. Last Shut of Your Eyes certainly provides the most emotional selection, and one that seems to capture that "other side" perspective Maxi mentions. It’s also a little different in that it is something of a remake from a previous CD. However, the vocals provided here by Nil are faultless, some truly inspired work.

The "new" tracks on the CD seem to be developed almost specifically to capture the strong vocal capabilities of the two vocalists. That’s not to say there aren’t outstanding instrumental components as well, there are. But, we seem to expect that level of capability on VoA material, it almost goes unnoticed, as does the strong production work. But, on tracks like Change of Tides we get truly interesting vocal devices that cannot go unnoticed. The track begins with Plank, and maybe Nil too, doing a little whispering, which leads to some crushing metal. The vocal then goes to a more traditional format, with one vocal following the other in a conversational style. But, it’s the excellence of those vocals that drives the sound, that and the work done in the production room. The double kick drum pounds the song to even higher levels as we begin to focus on the Nil vocals, overlaid like a Broadway choir. The track sets a new level of accomplishment for the band, but it’s not the only one. Melancholia again slows down the metal, and here, we get the best work from Plank. It’s a soulful sound, remorseful and full of pain, but again, that tone evolves as Nil joins the fray. The sound floats on a little higher level of instrumental work, but that work moves the vocal from the mournful to a more deliberate vocal direction. Plank recounts his tale of despair as we hear a wailing sound from Nil in the background; this is clearly the "other side" component we discussed earlier. It moves between a softer direction and a pounding metal in the blink of an eye. However, as we approach the conclusion, we return to a beautiful selection from Nil that frames the work for an instant, until we return to the Plank vocal which combines with Nil to complete the work. Melancholia indeed.

Distant Shores may be the more traditional work on the CD. It begins with a symphonic that leads to the interaction between the vocalists. Again, Nil provides some vocals difficult to appreciate without hearing them. She moves between half octaves with perfection, her voice capturing the essence of this Gothic inspired tale. There’s more keyboard here and, in that respect, this may be my favorite track, keyboards just seem to capture the Gothic feeling like nothing else can. And Nil’s vocal augments that direction like few vocals can.

Beyond Horizon completes the work, and again takes a dark direction, with Nil taking the lead with a haunting spoken intro. Another dark ballad, made all the more beautiful with some of the best female vocals you’re likely to hear. The song utilizes some different musical techniques; the beat is carried by a throbbing sound, probably produced electronically. But Nil hits some high notes here that, in my opinion, are the absolute highlight of the work. I damn sure hope we get to hear some more of this in future works, they are classic.

Well, what we have here is a little beyond what one can generally expect from an EP. And, the promise continues to expand. I’m not suggesting that the performers here are significantly better than previous talent, VoA has never employed any weak talent. But, the music continues to progress. So, even though I would sure like to see a few more productions with the present lineup, I suspect that even Lady Gaga might prove interesting in this environment. . . well, that might be a little much. Let’s just put a lock on Nil and Plank, and keep this sound together for a while, we’ll all be better for it.

9.5 / 10

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