Narnia Course of a Generation
by Derric Miller
Staff Writer
Maybe it’s because Narnia doesn’t bludgeon you over the head with “The Word,” but they are one of the most unassuming Christian Metal bands on the globe. This isn’t like listening to Stryper—it’s just incredibly adept Power Metal that also has a message if you care to hear it. Either way, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more melodically heavy Power Metal band out there. The big surprise with Narnia this time is that long-time vocalist (and founding member) Christian Liljegren has left the band and they brought in German Pascual as the replacement. It’s not surprising that Narnia replaced Christian once he left, but it is a shock that Pascual’s talent equals Liljegren’s.
A weirdly melodic keyboard intro on “Sail Around the World” leads you into the first time you’ve probably heard Pascual sing. If you need to compare him to someone you know, his vocals align with Andy Engberg’s (Lion’s Share, Section X), especially on the high notes. Pascual can sing gruffly on some of the lower passages, but the power he wields on the soaring higher notes definitely reminds of Engberg. (That’s a compliment.) “Sail Around the World” features the trademark Narnia programming, neo-classical guitar solo and intricate rhythm section. They haven’t lost anything by losing Christian …
The title track is one of the fiercest on the release. “Course of a Generation” begins with blasting rhythms and a cutting riff from Grimmark. If you are a fan of Lion’s Share, you will have to check out this track because it could seamlessly fit on Fall From Grace, and you might think it’s Engberg singing. The guitar solo again glides between Power Metal and Neo-Classical. The difference is Grimmark never plays merely to show off; his solos always make sense in the structure of the composition and he’s never saying “look what I can do!” Tasteful, talented, and Metal, that’s Grimmark.
One of the more mid-tempo tracks, “Scared,” is also one of the most memorable on Course of a Generation. Instead of speed, they use nuances and foreboding to get the point across. On some of the passages, you’ll barely hear the background music as Pascual’s voice owns the spotlight. At a tad over three minutes in length, it makes you wonder if this was their “radio” attempt, although only one of the tracks ever goes beyond five minutes here anyway.
“Armageddon” is another seething song, gritty and boisterous. Andreas Johansson on drums gets to wield his skills with pummeling fills and rhythms that inevitably speed up your heart rate. For a Power Metal band, although their choruses are melodic and full of that sing-song vibe, Narnia is much heavier than a band like Hammerfall.
The final track is the longest, and the most intricate. “Behind the Curtain” begins with a thunderstorm and a simplistic keyboard melody, and suddenly rails into a heavy riff-fest. Just like that, it slows down again, with just drums and bass steering the pacing behind Pascual’s vocals. If you keep looking for a Christian theme in the lyrics, they are up for interpretation, and when you hear lines like, “But in every corner lies, shattered dreams and lies, a need to come back home,” it’s obviously a song for Everyman, because everyone can appreciate the feeling of being bereft.
Course of a Generation may be the best thing Narnia has released thus far, which is high praise indeed. Longtime fans will have no choice but to embrace Pascual; this guy should have been fronting a band like Narnia long ago. You won’t feel the need to skip any songs either—this is just one damn complete studio effort from Narnia.
Online: www.myspace.com/narniaofficial
Label: Nightmare Records
Track listing:
01. Sail Around the World
02. When The Stars Are Falling
03. Course Of A Generation
04. Scared
05. Kings Will Come
06. Rain
07. Armageddon
08. One Way To Freedom
09. Miles Away
10. Behind The Curtain
HRH Rating: 8/10