DAWN OF A NEW ERA

Sometimes, when your expectations are low, an album will really surprise you. Venturia is a female-fronted prog metal band from France that are on their third album now. The music features a ton of great riffing that never gets overbearing. The drumming is also on the mark.

However, the two parts that make this album special are the vocals and the keys. The female vocalist has a strong voice that seems somewhat pop-ish at times, but she can wow at other times. She is very melodic, so don't worry about any of those weird female harsh vox that have been popping up lately. The keyboards are what make the music feel complete, though. The keyboard arrangements are very symphonic and melodious, as they take a great jam and elevate it to soaring heights. The riffing will just seem to be getting a little tiresome when out of left field the keys will change the entire sound of the track. They are glorious, really. Don't get me wrong, though, this band is no Epica. They definitely have a more alternative sound to them.

So, we have some catchier tunes, like "What if I", but there are some other more mature tracks on here, too, such as the first track, "Devil in Disguise". The lyrics never really get very mature, as they seem to touch on changing our understanding and our preconceptions about a lot of things; nothing overly profound, though. All in all, this is a solid album that has prog metal fans written all over it. If you love a grand display of instrumentation, this album is definitely for you.