by John Kindred
— Publisher —
The anticipated release by the Symphonic Rock/Metal band Eynomia has finally arrived! Led by Phyllis Rutter, the band’s debut titled Break Free features an amazing lineup of musicians, which includes Mike LePond (Symphony X, Mike LePond’s Silent Assassins) on bass, Chris Bickley (Christine Ohlman band, Thunderhead) on guitar, Jimmy Pitts (Christian Muenzer band, Fountainhead) on Keyboards and Gaetano Nicolosi (Ron Keel band) on drums.
Female-fronted bands dominate the landscape of the Metal genres these days. After a while, the cliché “a dime of dozen” certainly fits when talking about this wave of music groups. Most bands feature a sultry over-the-top operatic vocalist, singing over Gothic-Metal or Power Metal. With so many choices, fans find that they have to weed through the mundane to discover those groups who sit at the top of the genre and bring their A-game time after time.
So where does Eynomia fit in?
Well, the group is definitely set to give its peers a run for their money.
Rutter’s voice is pure gold. She is a singer in the traditional sense, and her voice is suited well for the musical arrangements that Break Free lays out to the listener. Her voice is genuine, not contrived to fit a genre, and offers the focal point to the music. Her voice is so clear and strong you could honestly hear it on a James Bond opening sequence to the long-running movie franchise.
Constructed lavishly with layers of dynamic instrumentation the music on Break Free provides Rutter the perfect backdrop for her vocal melodies. Utilizing the bass, drums, keys, and guitars the band creates melodic, rocking songs that invite listeners to ride along with Eynomia on its musical journeys.
The album features nine songs, with a runtime of approximately 42-minutes. Bickley’s guitar work, from rhythms to lead breaks and Pitts keyboard passages, whether synths or organ, provide the atmospheric touch creating a wall of sound which is perfectly mixed, and balanced. Nicolosi and LePond hold it all together providing the low-end rumble and double bass thunder.
Fans and followers of Chris Bickley’s music career will find some of his best-recorded work that has been released to date. His tone on Break Free sounds amazing. His phrasing, melodic and harmonized passages keep getting better and better. Check out “Til We Meet Again” for examples of his prowess on display, where he showcases many sides to his playing abilities. Pitt’s might be the bands ace-in-the-hole, as his keys set the tone, lightning or darkening the overall feel of the music.
Opening up the New Year Eynomia has set the bar high for its peers to follow in 2018. Break Free is a phenomenal debut release for this new group. The band offers skillful songwriting that allows the music to breath, provides space for all the instrumentation to be heard and plays to the strengths of each band member.
Genre: Symphonic Rock, Metal, Female Fronted Metal
Band:
Phyllis Rutter – Vocals
Chris Bickley – Guitar
Mike LePond – Bass
Jimmy Pitts – Keyboards
Gaetano Nicolosi – Drums
Track Listing:
1. Cleansing
2. Someday Maybe
3. Till We Meet Again
4. Break Free
5. Let It Go
6. Through Your Eyes
7. I Can Tell
8. Take A Look
9. When Its Over
Label: Pure Legend Records
Web: https://www.facebook.com/eynomiaband/ – https://www.reverbnation.com/eynomia
Hardrock Haven rating: 
(8.5 / 10)
