Silverthorn (Box Set) [Limited Edition]

I first heard of Kamelot back around 2007 when I started getting into Metal bands that weren't Nightwish or Within Temptation. The first album I picked up was 'The Black Halo' which I loved half of and was rather indifferent to the other. I missed out on the 'Ghost Opera' album but saw them on the tour for it, which was a spectacular show but still didn't sell me on buying on the album. Then when I heard 'The Great Pandemonium' from their 2010 album 'Poetry for the Poisoned' I loved it, so bought the album but just couldn't get into, so I intended to follow Kamelot occasionally but didn't think I'd ever be a huge fan, meaning when I heard that Roy Khan had departed I didn't really care, but when I heard Tommy Karevik would be replacing him I checked out his band's (Seventh Wonder) music and I really liked his voice along with Silverthorn's lead single 'Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)' which quickly climbed up to one of my most played tracks.

As I said, however, I was the same with the previous single, so I didn't expect much from this album but decided to pre-order the special edition just out of how much I loved Sacrimony, and I was surprised at just how much I fell in love with it. The intro sounds like it could have been lifted straight from an Epica album, and from there the album is filled with catchy hooks, stunning orchestrations, heavy riffs and brilliant vocals from new frontman, Tommy, and as much I love Simone Simons, I'm glad they chose Elize Ryd and Alissa White-Gluz to do the female vocals as they seem to fit the sound much better and give flawless performances.

I can't fault this album at all, which is not what I was expecting, therefore I can't recommend this album enough, especially the special edition which for a few extra quid gets you a digipak of the album, a bonus disc with the whole album in instrumental form plus two bonus tracks, a 44-page colour story book and a poster making the best special edition I've ever purchased. If Kamelot make another album like this I may just become a massive fan after all. A solid 5/5 from me.

This was a great album first and foremost, but I would still far rather listen to Khan's work than this album. Its a viciously tough legacy to continue, and Tommy has done an exquisite job to continue with such great skill, but there's something missing, something from the old Kamelot that has been left behind. If this is a new direction for the band, then by all means I hope he elaborates on it, but he needs to choose a sound and stick to it, make it his own, because trying to imitate the style that Khan used can only take him so far, and I fear that he may not live up to expectations left behind. Only time will tell. I still love the album, but its not doing quite enough to get 5 stars.

There have been so many duff releases in the Symphonic Metal genre this year, I didn't even buy this when it first came out. I though Ghost Opera was good but not somehow coherent and the last album was a bit average, but this....THIS is PROPER EPIC SYMPHONIC METAL.

Sacrimony is classic Kamelot, a fist pumping anthem in the mould of Center of the Universe, theres a great ballad My Confession, Falling Like Fahrenheit is more Epic, classic Kamelot and the final track Prodigal Son is the sort of track Tuomas used to write for Nightwish, rather than just record people reading Poetry for 10 minutes. Whilst there is a clear common style to probably all of their recent albums it doesn't sound dated, possibly because as an album its more tuneful than the last two. There's also a bit more guitar (and keyboard!) shredding, notably on tracks like Ashes to Ashes. You also get a really poppy sensibility on "My Confession" and "Falling Like Fahrenheit" which sounds not a little like female vocalist Elize's band, Amaranthe.

Tommy's voice? Well he sounds a lot like Khan, he doesn't have the vocal range (Only at the lower end really) but still sounds great.

This album is what the genre had been waiting for. There's nothing much wrong with it and I am sure it will grow. It proves bands can evolve and even change vocalists without having to mess about with their style like Nightwish and Sonata Arctica did recently. Ironically also, in a type of music mostly created and followed in Europe, here is an American band doing a pure Symphonic Metal album better than any of the Europeans.

I am giving it 5 stars even though I have only listened to it twice, I am confident I won't regret it!