Metalite: A Virtual World

Triumpant Swedish Melodic Power Metallers Metalite arrive with a bang pushing their contemporary release A Virtual World into the atmosphere, only just two years after the release of their well-received sophomore record Biomechanicials and they comfortably deliver a package in the same vein smothered with their over the top keyboard driven anthems for the Metal world to thoroughly indulge on.

Metalite are a pretty new outfit in the Power Metal world and they have made an outstanding name for themselves from the offshoot, leading from their ambitious debut album right up into today's musical adventures with their impressive new vocalist Erica Ohllson taking over the mic.

During A Virtual World, we have those really rich melodies we would simply expect from the five piece and they arrive layered with those gripping hooks to sit alongside the bombastic synthesizers that naturally capture some memorable moments throughout a cool collection of catchy tracks that very neatly hit the spot with an effective ease.

Ranging from outputs like the brilliant 'Cloud Connected', the mid paced 'Vampire Song' and the fantastically arranged ballad 'Alone', they all appear as superb efforts that will be great additions to the band's set list in the future to come after the current pandemic. Also to add to the mixture, pompous anthemic trophies like the safely steady single 'Peacekeepers' and the graceful sci-fi stomper 'Artificial Intelligence' fit in the basket quite nicely too and I am positively sure they will be growers and favourites amongst the Metalite fanbase, along with the possible gathering of new fans along the way.

Whilst these are all sublime entries into the Metalite back catalogue and they appear as real winners, there is a reason why 'A Virtual World' I did not give the achievement of a high score overall for this offering and that is simply because lyrically it can appear to be slightly weak, there are appearances of cases that come across like segments from the cringe factor that pop at certain times during the records playtime.

By all means, I love the cheesy and happy Metal effect every single time I hear it done well, and of course they are called Metalite after all, however sometimed it can just let things waver off a tad to lose that credibility and I think more over time Metalite will improve in this avenue with no doubts about that at all.

Moreover, one of the most memorable highlights sitting inside the group's third installment is the amazing power behind the excellent hair raising number 'Beyond the Horizon', that is essentially a deliverance surrounded with a full packed punch that personally for me is easily the best song on this whole production without any shadow of doubt.

Moving on to the more straight up Melodic Power Metal musicality Metalite are famous for and renowned for, we have the quality title track opener 'A Virtual World' and the stupendously different snapper 'Talisman' that neatly boosts the morale of things on this benefaction with a carriage of strength, force and admiration; easily making this record to be a very solid one indeed from the Stockholm fantasy team.

Overall, another great effort from the Swedes and a superb follow up to the previous album Biomechanicals, therefore let's hope they carry on with this wave of glorious form for many years to come and they try to keep that success increasing with each record they produce to essentially grow as a divine unit inside the Power Metal industry, amongst the surrounding gods and forefathers that came before them.

Track Listing
1. A Virtual World
2. Cloud Connected
3. Talisman
4. Beyond the Horizon
5. Peacekeepers
6. The Vampire Song
7. We're Like te Fire
8. Artificial Intelligence
9. Alone
10. Running
11. Synchronized

Added: September 1st 2021
Reviewer: James Mannion
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 729
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]