Mandroid Echostar: Citadels

My first exposure to Guelph, Canada's Mandroid Echostar was a play-through video for their song "The Kingdom and the Crown." The three guitar players who looked like they all play in different bands of different genres were interesting and even though what they did with three guitars many bands would do with two and a recording studio, I gave them extra points for sticking to their formula.

It didn't occur to me that this track was without their vocalist! I did get that EP (name-your-price from Bandcamp) and when I heard their vocalist they became a favorite. Recently releasing a new EP entitled Citadels, Mandroid Echostar enters another cycle of promotion and performance. This 7-track EP runs just under 30 minutes, begins with acoustic intro "A Death Marked Dream," and blasts off with "Ancient Arrows." Once the clean electric ends and the harmonized dirty guitars kick in we are presented with power metal speed and rhythm. The dual guitar harmonies are key! Vocalist Michael Ciccia drinks from the same Canadian spring as Protest the Hero's Rody Walker and has a few Claudio Sanchez-isms (Coheed & Cambria). He has a solid, high, clean tone. There are some head-bobbing tempo changes, a change in dynamics at the coda featuring piano, and the song's ending is the crown with that one flat note thrown in there; the metal genres are strong with this band.

Don't be a fool and try to listen with just one ear bud. Blast it in your car or your home stereo. It's true that some music is best heard loudly. "Haunted Vows" starts with a wah-guitar solo and continues with great dual guitar licks through the verses. The rhythmic interplay between the instruments gives me a funk face, that's really the only way to describe it. The patience of the guitar solo is impressive; more focus on notes rather than pure wankery? Who could believe that? "To The Wolves" carries on and has a more mid-tempo feel and the Coheed-isms peek through again. The band obviously takes care to write a solid melody. There are bits of music written that aren't verse, aren't chorus, and don't sound spliced in, but enhance the song. Not an easy task.

After "Ethereal Dawn," "Citadels" rocks rhythmically and caps off the EP in grand fashion; ending by quoting in electric full-band arrangement the acoustic melody from "A Death Marked Dream."

The sequence of these songs is important to Citadels. The production is clear and crisp. This is an awesome next step for Mandroid Echostars – I hope they can get more exposure, especially in the USA, and bring their triple guitar melodies for some live shows.

Track Listing
1. A Death Marked Dream 1:49
2. Ancient Arrows 4:51
3. Haunted Vows 4:08
4. To The Wolves 4:01
5. The Sleeper 4:08
6. Ethereal Dawn 3:56
7. Citadels 6:18

Added: December 19th 2013
Reviewer: Ryan Good
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 2672
Language: english

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