Style: progressive metal, power metal, symphonic metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Blind Guardian, Evergrey, Crimson Glory
Country: Belgium
Release date: 15 February 2024
Bar progressive metal, power metal is my favorite genre. But you see, I’m not like the other girls. While I love the typical high-octane, anthemic quality of songs like “Holy Thunderforce” or “Hunting High and Love,” they do not resonate with me on a deeper level. Instead, my favorite power metal groups are those who also have a darker, subdued melodic quality and operate in a relatively mid-tempo fashion: think Evergrey, Virgin Steele, Tanagra, Sacred Outcry, etc. Whenever a band comes along that can successfully combine the genre’s explosive expressivity with a more contemplative atmosphere and Sad Music™ melodies, I tend to abandon all reason and fawn instantly.
This was exactly my reaction upon discovering Throne of Thorns’s debut, Converging Parallel Worlds. Arising out of the Belgian metal scene, this progressive power metal band consists of various experienced musicians who have all been active in the Belgian scene for over a decade. Larger than life orchestration, emotionally charged vocals, complex yet punchy songwriting, tasteful melodic guitar solos, all wrapped in a professionally produced and performed package—small wonder that I had to sneak it into our February Album of the Month post at the last second. Initially, I ran out of superlatives describing this record, but today our goal is to find out whether or not this album presents a heavy case of new toy syndrome or if this is truly that special.
Things start pretty typically for prog/power. A cinematic intro track here, a synth-guitar unison opening there, and then right into the high-paced power metal riff assault made extra epic by the continued cinematic orchestration from the intro track. Nothing is out of the ordinary yet; just tropes done well. Josey Hindrix’s vocals, on the other hand, are quite unique in this style; roughly a minute into “Storm Maker” we’re met with a gravelly, relatively subdued voice that is oddly far back in the mix. He has little of the typical power metal extravaganza and can almost feel like a grunge singer. Normally I like my power metal vocals more forward, but here it strangely works, allowing more room for colorful, dramatic orchestration, which turns out to be one of the album’s best qualities.
Wim Rotthier’s performance on keys is truly a highlight of Converging Parallel Worlds, sweeping me off my feet on multiple occasions with his sound design and dreamy keys. He has a wide range of dramatic flair, ranging from triumphant grandiosity to floating ethereal soundscapes to a foreboding mood piece. If anything, it’s when he uses the standard prog synth tones that I find him, even if competent, the least interesting. Either way, it is his keys that provide the backdrop for the rest of the band to shine. Melodically, this album is excellent as well. Thomas Verleye does a great job with the lead melodies and his solos are almost always a highlight, tastefully combining shred with melody.
Songwriting-wise, a quick look at the song lengths shows that Throne of Thorns pulled no punches in terms of ambition. Barring the straightforward power metal-driven track “Atomic Retribution” and the power ballad “Underworld,” the band tries their best to lay as many twists and distinct moods into each track. While the majority of their ideas are great, I don’t think they always justify the song lengths. Take the opener “Storm Maker,” an overwhelmingly foreboding, dramatic song that feels either like it needs an explosive climax or an ethereal, emotive one. Instead, it tries to do both and succeeds at neither. Halfway through it does the former with a guitar solo that aims for the stars but stops just before it exits the atmosphere, and then after the chorus it attempts the latter by starting a Gilmour-esque solo over godly, ethereal keys, but wraps it up before it even got off the ground.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have the closing epic “Fire and Ice” which lets its bridge transition properly from an ethereal atmospheric bit into a stunning barrage of solos and symphonic galore, but its main riffs aren’t expanded on at all. On one hand the track does 90s Blind Guardian-esque power metal, but on the other hand it goes in a symphonic progressive direction and the two entities are not made to match, causing a tonal whiplash when the main riff is brought back after the bridge, even if both parts are fantastic on their own. Continuing on, the title track has a great chorus and introduces one of the album’s best riffs halfway through, but it desperately needs some more gentle parts. “Black Diamond” justifies its length the best, housing some amazing melodic lead play, but colorless chugs in the verses bring it down a little.
An album like this depends heavily on how good its melodies are. Josey Hindrix’s subdued voice provides an interesting contrast for the rest of the band to work with, but I would like to see him lean even further into the subdued. There was a greater potential to explore truly soft, sensitive passages on Converging Parallel Worlds akin to the beginning of “Underworld” or at 2:41 in the title track that I feel Throne of Thorns did not fully tap into. The band has a fresh voice within the power-prog genre, and with some tightening, I could see them delivering something fantastic down the road. I must admit that new toy syndrome did get the best of me a little bit, but if the album took nearly a dozen listens to wear off of me, maybe it wasn’t that bad after all.
Recommended tracks: Atomic Retribution, Converging Parallel Worlds, Fire and Ice
You may also like: Tanagra, Chaos Frame, Course of Fate, The Pulse Theory
Final verdict: 7/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Label: Rock of Angels Records – Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Website
Throne of Thorns is:
– Josey Hindrix (vocals)
– Thomas Jethro Verleye (guitars, bass)
– Wim Rotthier (keyboards)
– Baruch van Bellegem (drums)
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