VENTURIA

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.

And this latest release is surely aptly named, as this creation is a mix of many different musical elements. Whether it is a hybrid or a mongrel will be a matter of individual taste of course; personally I think the former suits best.

Progressive metal is a foundation of sort for most things happening on this production. Riff patterns, both of the more basic variety as well as quirkier explorations are found in most tunes, and the archetypical synths and keyboards adding nuances and textures to the themes and passages making up the individual compositions are an ever present factor - in many instances these dominate a song partially or in full. Powerful vocals are a common feature in progressive metal, and in this case there are both male and female vocalists adding a distinct nerve and contrast to the songs.

The metal is mixed with other styles though, and industrial or perhaps electronic music is the first musical style I'd pull out of the hat to describe the hybrid elements on this album. Vocals and in some cases guitars are given industrial makeovers in key passages; the latter perhaps just as often a result of mix and production as a focused effort to make the songs sound industrial (i.e., that the industrial effects as such may be more of an accidental result). Still, the guitar sound is slicked down quite a bit and does make me think of industrial metal more than progressive metal quite a few times.

Gothic metal is a second element making an appearance in the songs of this creation, with powerful female vocals as a key feature, and melodramatic symphonic keyboard passages making regular appearances. The latter isn't a dominant feature though, in case any Nightwish fan suddenly feels the urge to check this out.

Other elements in this mix of styles are mellow, melodic passages with distinct commercial leanings - most notable in the classy ballad "Why This Woman's Life" - and guitar soloing somewhat dominated by neo-classical inspired guitar work.

This adds up to a very nice release; for those that can find such a mix of styles enjoyable. It's neither fish nor fowl, and how many that will find a mix of these appealing I'm uncertain of. Personally I find this to be an enjoyable album though; nothing earth-shattering but the compositions are mostly well-thought out, the performances, mix and production hold high class and the band does touch upon moments of brilliance on occasion. Worth investigating by the curious, and I'd guess that this is a release that may be pulled out as a forgotten jewel a decade from now.

The musical style explored is one describeable as progressive industrial metal, and personally made me think of a mix between acts like Deadsoul Tribe, Dream Theater and Nine Inch Nails - although I do suspect others will form different conclusions when it comes to the musical heritage resulting in this creation. Nightwish should probably be name-dropped too, given the utilization of mellow, clearly commercial-sounding passages as well as melodramatic and symphonic effects in some tunes.

The songs as such are enjoyable; well made and well performed. The compositions are somewhat predictable and tend to follow a distinct pattern; but strong moods, groovy melodies and some quirky details make them interesting non the less; with the ballad Why This Woman's Life and the quirky exploration Sublimated Dementia deserving special mention.

The main problem with a release such as this is that it's neither fowl or fish though; and as such it may have a limited appeal. Still, worth checking out by those who think that fosh or fiwl might be a cool thing.

Venturia play a prog-metal with a strange pop influence. The most original thing, in my opinion, is the voice of the male singer, which is closer to pop-dark 80s music rather than the abused screaming of neo-Pavarotti which prog-metal is used to. Furthermore, the song-writing is a lot depending from pop easy-listening music. This is not a bad thing, because makes the band very original. Listen to The News Kingdom or Take me Down to understand what I say.

The album is beautifully executed, the players have an astonishing technique: the sound is extremely polished; this, together with the non-standard melodies they play, adds a very original sound the the whole ensemble. Marc's voice, as I said, is also original. But it's not very powerful and various, and ends up to be boring. Also, I don't understand why the female singer Lydie has so little space. A duet-based album would have been great.

The songs are not very different from each other, and the whole album seems quite lacking of surprises; it seems like some gears are missing. A more mature song-writing and execution would make this band go further. By now, they are still at a starting point.

In the end, an interesting debut by a good-potential band, but we are still waiting to see the great thing coming out. Let's wait and see. By now, we can entertain ourselves with a pearl: the track Words of Silence is worth 5 stars. Listen to believe.