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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
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│ + Serenity - The Last Knight + │
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│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2020-05-04 Encoder......LAME 3.100 ║ │
│║ Genre.....Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......2020 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........12 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url..http://www.serenity-band.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Serenity ║ │
│║ Album : The Last Knight ║ │
│║ Label : Napalm Records ║ │
│║ Cat.No : NPR 920 DP ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ This is so frustrating! I've supported Serenity on their ║ │
│║ moderate rise in popularity over the last half a decade. ║ │
│║ Codex Atlanticus was an all-round great album that ║ │
│║ displayed the efficacy of making their earlier progressive ║ │
│║ output more commercial. 2017's Lionheart was reviled by the ║ │
│║ few who thought they were over-simplifying their formula, ║ │
│║ but I still found the record massively enjoyable. Here in ║ │
│║ 2020, the Austrian power metallers return with The Last ║ │
│║ Knight, a continuation of the historical themes established ║ │
│║ on the previous album, but with a touch more fantasy. ║ │
│║ Musically, it's more of the same - catchy choruses, smooth ║ │
│║ melodies, light-hearted power metal with an orchestral ║ │
│║ foundation, and the occasional heavy riff. However, ║ │
│║ something's missing this time around. I fear Austria's ║ │
│║ finest might be slowly sinking into the sludgy swamps of ║ │
│║ stagnation. Only slowly, mind you... ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Not to disparage the talents of the band members involved - ║ │
│║ Georg Neuhauser's vocals remain as charming and charismatic ║ │
│║ as always - but I feel The Last Knight isn't making the ║ │
│║ most of Serenity's potential. I've heard this album 5 times ║ │
│║ through, and I cannot for the life of me recall some of ║ │
│║ these tracks...even the choruses, and this is meant to be ║ │
│║ power metal! When I'm listening to this LP, I enjoy it. ║ │
│║ It's expertly produced, professionally presented and ║ │
│║ well-performed (the artwork, too, is quite brilliant). ║ │
│║ Unfortunately, it pains me to blame my negativity on some ║ │
│║ unidentifiable X factor that's missing - a spark that just ║ │
│║ won't ignite. The album kicks off just right, with the ║ │
│║ obligatory orchestral introductory title-track. This is ║ │
│║ probably the most exciting piece of orchestration in the ║ │
│║ band's career, which crescendos nicely into the powerful ║ │
│║ and galloping "Invictus" - one of the highlights of the ║ │
│║ album. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ If only more tracks took after this opening duo. Pretty ║ │
│║ soon, the tempos are reduced to mid-to-slow pace, and don't ║ │
│║ often pick back up. The two singles, in particular, are two ║ │
│║ of the more disappointing numbers here. "Souls & Sins" has ║ │
│║ pleasant enough melodies but feels sluggish - and does the ║ │
│║ metal genre really need another track called "Set The World ║ │
│║ On Fire"? Luckily, the record picks up in unexpected ║ │
│║ places. "My Kingdom Comes" takes the Austrian's ability to ║ │
│║ write great tunes in 3/4, adds some menacing riffage and a ║ │
│║ sprinkle of harsh vocals, resulting in a clear-cut ║ │
│║ highlight. Speaking of menacing riffage, I can't help but ║ │
│║ feel there could be far more on this disc. You know, the ║ │
│║ real headbang-worthy type in the vein of 2017's "Hero" or ║ │
│║ 2016's "Fate Of Light". Instead of that ilk, we have a ║ │
│║ ballad in the form of "My Farewell". Considering how good ║ │
│║ we know the quartet to be at writing decent ballads, this ║ │
│║ is still in the upper tier. Georg, in particular, steals ║ │
│║ the show here. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Fortunately, the tribulations of getting through this album ║ │
│║ are worth it for the trio of anthems that close it. The ║ │
│║ riff-centric "Down To Hell" adds some much-needed ║ │
│║ aggression; the hymnal "Wings Of Pride" is the purest ║ │
│║ example of Euro-power on the record; and "Call To Arms" ║ │
│║ amps up the bombast with its choirs and grinding down-tuned ║ │
│║ rhythm section. The Last Knight has a lot of things going ║ │
│║ for it - and is not a bad album by any means - I just feel ║ │
│║ the whole is not as impressive as the parts that make it ║ │
│║ up. Maybe it's the band's own high standards that reduce it ║ │
│║ to middle-of-the-road. Some outfits can thrive on the ║ │
│║ repetition of a formula (hell, I just reviewed the latest ║ │
│║ Mystic Prophecy, and loved it!) - but perhaps Serenity need ║ │
│║ to make a statement with their next effort, that they are ║ │
│║ capable of being more than a 'by the books' band. Even so, ║ │
│║ power metal fans will definitely enjoy this one, ║ │
│║ run-of-the-mill or not. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 1. The Last Knight 2:02 │
│ 2. Invictus 4:19 │
│ 3. Set The World On Fire 4:25 │
│ 4. Keeper Of The Knights 4:42 │
│ 5. Souls And Sins 4:39 │
│ 6. My Kingdom Comes 4:33 │
│ 7. Queen Of Avalon 4:31 │
│ 8. My Farewell 4:54 │
│ 9. Down To Hell 4:40 │
│ 10. Wings Of Pride 4:04 │
│ 11. Call To Arms 4:22 │
│ 12. Souls And Sins (Acoustic Version) 4:35 │
│ │
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│ Total Length : 00:51:46 │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
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