┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│■ ■│
│ .-/ .-. │
│ _.-~ / ___ | ~-._ │
│ \:/ -~| / __/| .\:/ │
│ / || (:/:| \ │
│ / /\/| |:\___\| |\ \ │
│ / /:::|.::/:::/:.|:\ \ │
│ / /:::/ \\/:::/::/:::\ \ │
│ / .::\ \-~~~~-/\/:.. \ │
│ /..:::::\ /:::::..\ │
│ /::::::::- -::::::::\ │
│ \:::::-~ ~-:::::/ │
│ \:-~ ~-:/ │
│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
│ │
│ + Serenity - Codex Atlanticus (Jap. Ed.) + │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Jan-31-2016 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2016 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........15 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.serenity-band.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Serenity Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Codex Atlanticus (Jap. Ed.) Label : Avalon ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The year 2016 is off to a strong start, with ║ │
│║ January featuring new releases from some of my ║ │
│║ favorite bands like Avantasia, Rhapsody of Fire ║ │
│║ and of course Dream Theater. However, the album ║ │
│║ I was most excited for going into the year was ║ │
│║ not one of those but Codex Atlanticus, the fifth ║ │
│║ full length release from Austrian symphonic ║ │
│║ power metal band Serenity, who I discovered back ║ │
│║ in 2011, with their incredible third album Death ║ │
│║ & Legacy, which over time become one of my top 5 ║ │
│║ favorites albums. That album marked somewhat of ║ │
│║ a turning point for the band as before they had ║ │
│║ played a more complex and progressive style of ║ │
│║ power metal, and they delivered two excellent ║ │
│║ albums in that style, where on Death & Legacy ║ │
│║ they took a turn to more of a cinematic ║ │
│║ symphonic metal sound, with a major focus on ║ │
│║ orchestras and huge vocal melodies, and it also ║ │
│║ had a few nice duets featuring three guest ║ │
│║ female vocalists. This approach was taken ║ │
│║ further on War of Ages, with the addition of ║ │
│║ Clementine Delauney as a co-lead vocalist, but ║ │
│║ in between then and now the band decided they ║ │
│║ had gone as far as they could with that sound ║ │
│║ and decided to part ways with Clementine, ║ │
│║ leaving Georg Neuhauser as their lone vocalist. ║ │
│║ This and the departure of longtime guitarist ║ │
│║ Thomas Buchberger left me curious as to how ║ │
│║ Codex Atlantcus would sound, but suffice to say ║ │
│║ Serenity has blown me away once again and ║ │
│║ delivered an album roughly on par with War of ║ │
│║ Ages and just barely behind Death & Legacy. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ While the lineup changes led me to expect a ║ │
│║ major overhaul in their music, IÆm surprised to ║ │
│║ report that Codex Atlanticus instantly feels ║ │
│║ familiar but with a few nice twists to make it ║ │
│║ stand out. Like its two immediate predecessors, ║ │
│║ it is a concept album dealing with historical ║ │
│║ themes, this time focusing specifically on ║ │
│║ Leonardo da Vinci. The lyrics are quite ║ │
│║ interesting and well delivered, as always. ║ │
│║ Musically this feels in some ways like a ║ │
│║ continuation of their previous albums, ║ │
│║ especially Death & Legacy, with a few little ║ │
│║ surprises thrown in. For the most part, itÆs the ║ │
│║ vocal melodies and orchestras that dominate the ║ │
│║ tracks and these elements are just as prominent ║ │
│║ and as impressive as ever, but new guitarist ║ │
│║ Chris Hermsd÷rfer has acquitted himself very ║ │
│║ well here and fits in perfectly with the band. ║ │
│║ On most tracks heÆs more limited to helping with ║ │
│║ the rhythm and serving as a backdrop to the main ║ │
│║ elements, but thereÆs a few parts throughout ║ │
│║ where he gets to fully let loose and he does an ║ │
│║ impressive job. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Of course, one of those main elements is ║ │
│║ vocalist Georg Neuhauser, who has become one of ║ │
│║ my favorite melodic metal singers over the past ║ │
│║ few years. He has a very warm voice that sounds ║ │
│║ similar to Sonata Arctica vocalist Tony Kakko, ║ │
│║ but with a much lighter tone and a smoother, ║ │
│║ less over the top delivery. HeÆs one of the best ║ │
│║ IÆve heard when it comes to getting everything ║ │
│║ he can out of huge vocal melodies, which of ║ │
│║ course the songs provide a ton of, and while he ║ │
│║ sounds very calm throughout, when heÆs asked to ║ │
│║ reach for bigger notes, especially towards the ║ │
│║ end of tracks when the choruses pick up, he ║ │
│║ delivers big every time. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ After the expected but very nice orchestral ║ │
│║ intro track, the first proper song ôFollow Meö ║ │
│║ enters in slowly with some nice piano work, ║ │
│║ before Hermsd÷rfer is allowed to show off his ║ │
│║ skill with a pretty killer riff, and the song ║ │
│║ picks up the pace and turns into the kind of fun ║ │
│║ up tempo symphonic power metal opener they excel ║ │
│║ at, except with occasional bursts of heaviness ║ │
│║ that only add to the already excellent track. ║ │
│║ Between the guitar work, the orchestras and the ║ │
│║ chorus, itÆs definitely one of my favorites on ║ │
│║ the album. Next is the more surprising ôSprouts ║ │
│║ of Terrorö, another fast paced track where the ║ │
│║ guitars are even more prominent and sound a bit ║ │
│║ thrashy at points, this feeling further enhanced ║ │
│║ by the more aggressive sounding secondary male ║ │
│║ vocals, though Georg eventually comes in to ║ │
│║ bring some melody in to the song, and it ends up ║ │
│║ being another instant winner. Fans will have ║ │
│║ already heard ôIniquityö a slower more orchestra ║ │
│║ and vocal driven track, which features some ║ │
│║ excellent choir vocals as well as some really ║ │
│║ nice backing male vocals during its impressive ║ │
│║ chorus. When I first heard the song I wasnÆt ║ │
│║ overly impressed with it, but over time it has ║ │
│║ grown on me and IÆve become quite fond of it. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Around this point, the album settles in to more ║ │
│║ usual Serenity territory, with ôReasonö in ║ │
│║ particular feeling like it would have fit in ║ │
│║ perfectly next to some of the speedier tracks on ║ │
│║ Death & Legacy, and it once again features a ║ │
│║ truly phenomenal chorus that instantly made it ║ │
│║ one of my favorites. The last rendition of it is ║ │
│║ especially breathtaking. This feeling of ║ │
│║ familiarity continues somewhat on both the mid ║ │
│║ tempo track ôCaught in a Mythö, and the slightly ║ │
│║ faster and heavier track ôFate of Light, but on ║ │
│║ both tracks the guitar work is impressive and ║ │
│║ helps them stand out. The latter in particular ║ │
│║ has a really awesome shredding solo in the ║ │
│║ middle. Closing track ôThe Orderö is another ║ │
│║ speedy track that opens with piano and features ║ │
│║ a slow opening verse, before speeding up for the ║ │
│║ chorus and it doesnÆt let up from that point on. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The album features two ballads, which are both ║ │
│║ excellent. First is ôMy Final Chapterö, a ║ │
│║ slightly folk infused track that fully focuses ║ │
│║ on the orchestras and serves as an excellent ║ │
│║ showcase for GeorgÆs voice, while ôThe Perfect ║ │
│║ Womanö has more of a rock opera feel to it, and ║ │
│║ features some slightly upbeat though very light ║ │
│║ sounding parts, as well as some excellent guest ║ │
│║ female vocals during a very memorable part in ║ │
│║ the middle. Lastly, we have ôSpirit in the ║ │
│║ Fleshö, another heavier, somewhat speedy track ║ │
│║ which once again features a second male voice (I ║ │
│║ canÆt tell if itÆs the same one as on ôSprouts ║ │
│║ of Terror, but he does sound a bit similar.) He ║ │
│║ leads during much of the chorus and his delivery ║ │
│║ is a bit more raw compared to Georg, but it has ║ │
│║ a certain charm to it and adds some energy to ║ │
│║ the track. My favorite part of the song is the ║ │
│║ final chorus, where Georg does an absolutely ║ │
│║ beautiful rendition of it, before the other ║ │
│║ singer comes in to finish it off. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I wasnÆt sure what to expect, due to the key ║ │
│║ lineup changes, but in the end Codex Atlanticus ║ │
│║ is yet another exceptional album from Serenity, ║ │
│║ that continues with the ultra melodic, somewhat ║ │
│║ theatrical style they began on Death & Legacy, ║ │
│║ while adding in a bit of extra heaviness and ║ │
│║ some other nice touches to make it stand out. It ║ │
│║ serves as an excellent showcase for vocalist ║ │
│║ Georg Neuhauser while still feeling like a true ║ │
│║ team effort, and it contains 10 incredibly ║ │
│║ catchy songs sure to remain stuck in my head for ║ │
│║ some time to come. Obviously itÆs a must hear ║ │
│║ for fans of the band, and I also highly ║ │
│║ recommend for fans of symphonic power metal and ║ │
│║ melodic metal in general. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Georg Neuhauser - Vocals ║ │
│║ Andreas Schipflinger - Drums ║ │
│║ Fabio D'Amore - Bass ║ │
│║ Cris Tφan - Guitars ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Codex Atlanticus [01:56] │
│ 02 - Follow Me [03:53] │
│ 03 - Sproits Of Terror [05:15] │
│ 04 - Iniquity [05:34] │
│ 05 - Reason [04:14] │
│ 06 - My Final Chapter [04:13] │
│ 07 - Caught In A Myth [05:35] │
│ 08 - Fate Of Light [04:45] │
│ 09 - The Perfect Woman [04:57] │
│ 10 - Spirit In The Flesh [05:02] │
│ 11 - The Order [05:26] │
│ 12 - Forgive Me (Bonus Track) [05:33] │
│ 13 - Sail (Bonus Track) [04:13] │
│ 14 - My Final Chapter (Orchestral Version) (Bon [04:13] │
│ 15 - My Final Chapter (Instrumental Version) (B [04:11] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [69:00 minn │
│ │
│ │
│ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘