Style: power (clean vocals)
Review by: Volarus
Country: Italy
Release date: 01-02-2019
NOTE: This album was originally included in Reports from the (progressive metal) underground: February 2019 – The Progressive Subway
While the modern metal scene can potentially foster immense talent, listening to copious amounts of underground shit has made it abundantly clear how easily that skill can go to waste in the midst of a sea of competition.
There’s plenty of virtuosity to behold here, with all the frequent time signature shifts, arpeggio-laden riffery, and showy soloing one would expect from your standard-issue prog metal record. The guitars and keys meld together well, often playing into a familiar yet satisfying game of call and response. While there are a number of the syncopated chugs you’d expect from a djent-era metal band, there is no lack of melodicism present. The bassist gets some time to shine with a few impressive arpeggiated solo sections too, which thankfully never feels tasteless.
Sadly, while there is potential here, there are more than a few elements holding the band down. The patterns employed during songwriting feel particularly lazy. Dreamy sections of pentatonic riffs and synths transition to reused, chug based riffs for most of the instrumental driven passages, rarely coalescing to anything approaching memorable. The rest of the record is carried by the vocalist, whose tone is well developed enough, but doesn’t have quite enough power to lead the band effectively.
At it’s best, Onydia is predictable, enjoyable, and unmemorable. In such a competitive scene, where mediocrity is a death sentence, that just isn’t enough.
Recommended tracks: The Memory of My Time, The Colour of Nothingness
Recommended for fans of: Symphony X, Dream Theater
Final verdict: 5/10
Related links: Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page
Label: Revalve Records – Website | Facebook
Onydia is:
– Eleonara Buono (vocals)
– Daniele Amador (guitars)
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