| | | Ratings (2) |
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| 4.0 excellent | Caspianrex | December 7th 13 |
Insatia stand in the tradition of power metal bands with a female lead singer, such as Nightwish or Within Temptation. I first became aware of the band a few years ago, when I reviewed their initial EP for the now defunct online metal mag, Fueled. I was impressed by the band's music, but not with their lead singer at the time. Well, now they have a new lead singer, and a debut full-lenght album to go with her: Asylum Denied. First of all, I actually think Asylum Denied is an excellent title for a heavy metal album: I picture the words growled in the same style in which the voice on Street Fighter used to shout "Finish him!" Beyond the title, though, I think Asylum Denied is a very strong debut for a band that is clearly very meticulous in their production standards. Guitarist Jon Harris also provides bass, keyboard, and the occasional backing vocal, making the sound much richer on the album than the power trio that they are in real life. The album grabbed me at the very beginning with the title track, a lovely, atmospheric instrumental (featuring keyboards!), that leads directly into a series of several tracks with tremendous rhythmic momentum. "Forbidden Kingdom" is a standout, with excellent rhythm work from Harris and the drummer, Jester. The guitar work is skillful and melodic, but with nice, crunchy rhythm lines that complement quite well the precise but nuanced drumming, and the beautiful, ethereal vocals from Zoe, the lead singer. "Image of Stone" makes a nice break in the action, with slightly slower tempos and a more meditative sound. "The Sight" launches back into the headlong assault of the earlier tracks, with occasional shredding (without ostentation) from Jon, and even the occasional death growl in the backing vocals, giving the sound a bit more edge from time to time. The track "Deceit" was another one that I found quite interesting, as it opens with some almost 80s-style keyboards, but in the best sense, not in the cheesy hair metal sense (and a sweet wah wah guitar solo). Jester's drumming is impressive throughout, with the track "Man Alive" being a standout in that arena. Special mention, though, goes to the closing track on the album, "Shattered Serenity." At an epic almost eight minutes, the band pulls out all the stops: beautiful guitar work, an acoustic break, stellar vocals (multi-tracked a bit to great effect), and excellent rhythm work throughout the track. The solo is just how I like steak: choice and rare. The only thing I would like to hear more of from this band is Zoe's upper range: she has a lovely voice, and every once in awhile she gives us a glimpse of what she can do in the stratosphere, and it's wonderful. I want more! I believe this album encourages repeat listens, because there's so much going on here.
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| 4.0 excellent | Caspianrex | November 22nd 13 |
A very strong debut from this power metal trio. Solid female lead vocalist, lovely guitar work, and precise drumming make this album a pleasure to listen to over and over.
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