Ghost Opera

SPV

It’s no secret that I am a man who lives and breathes music more than the average connoisseur, and therefore I’m faced with the continuous stream of mediocrity being thrown my way. However, I am always on the look out for great music and when I finally do find something that truly sparks my interest I am usually submersed up to my neck from that point on. Such is the case with the American/Norwegian band known as Kamelot. A friend of mine turned me onto these guys a few years back and I’ve since become a diehard fan. Over the last decade, the band have released some truly remarkable albums including: 1999’s The Fourth Legacy, 2001’s Karma and 2005’s divine masterpiece The Black Halo. As a result of such stellar past achievements, I am not one bit surprised at these master composer’s latest outpouring, Ghost Opera.

While The Black Halo no doubt presented a sonic masterpiece with a slightly more aggressive sound for the band, making it widely acceptable by the greater Metal masses, Ghost Opera has given birth to an entirely new dimension of writing and spiritual rousing through the heightened emotion that is felt throughout the CD. From the opening lines of “Solitaire” to the final cut of “EdenEcho”, there is a consistently flowing invocation that exceeds all expectation. While the band may be made up of five individuals, I have never heard a more cohesive unit. Frontman Roy Khan shines in many places during this album but especially catches my attention on such monumental works of art as, “Anthem”, “Mourning Star”, and the title track, he is well on his way to becoming one of the great vocalists of our time to be forever immortalized alongside such legends as Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) and Geoff Tate (Queensryche). Also worth mentioning is the sensationally orchestrated “Blücher”, in which he is once again teamed with Epica vocalist Simone Simons. Guitarist Thomas Youngblood also instills a sense of unprecedented power with his skilled insurgence that prevails nicely on songs such as “Rule The World” and “The Human Stain”. With the rest of the band chiming in at just the right moments, they have laid before us another praiseworthy episode in their illustrious profession.

Ghost Opera may not hold the aggressive dexterity of The Black Halo, but makes up for it by utilizing each of its member’s creative talents and morphing them into a perfect safeguard that stands in contrast to anything they have attained in the past. It is an exhilarating experience to bear witness to yet another significant triumph in the Kamelot heritage. The band are set to tour the U.S. again this August/September and are sure to gain an immensely increased fan base because of this provocative new release.

-Priest