Nostradameus Illusion’s Parade
by Joe Mis
Staff Writer
From the birthplace of melodic death metal, Gothenburg’s own Nostradameus has recently released their latest power metal CD entitled Illusion’s Parade. This is the band’s sixth studio release, and they come across as true veterans of the melodic metal genre with music that is heavy and intense.
With a history dating back to 1998, this Swedish quintet has built a loyal fan base by blending many elements of European power metal with some American-influenced guitar riffs. Illusion’s Parade has some catchy grooves and solid guitar work, plus all of the elements one would expect from a power metal band. There are numerous tempo changes, keyboard riffs and ample instances of double bass, all handled with polish and technical skill.
Lead vocalist and founding member Freddy Persson has a decent metal voice – a bit gruff and raspy – but he does not have the dynamic range of some of the other power metal singers in action today. He sings cleanly and crisply, and is easily understandable throughout. Guitarists Jake Fredén (the other founding member) and Lennart Specht make a good guitar duo, playing some interesting choppy riffs and sweeping leads, and working well together as a team. Thomas Antonsson (bass) and Esko Salow (drums) make up the bottom end. Both are extremely competent musicians and handle their jobs well, no matter how technical the task – and are cohesive parts of the band.
The production and engineering are power metal standard – very crisp, very clear and almost sterile sounding. The instruments are well balanced, although a bit more volume on the lead vocals would help bring Persson’s well-written lyrics to the fore. While well thought out and beautifully worded, most of the lyrics deal with Eurometal / power metal standards of death, sadness, war and deceit. And therein lies the problem…
Everything about this album is “standard”. Persson has a good voice, but without the huge dynamic range or distinct vocal quirk he is just an ordinary singer. Fredén and Specht are a solid guitar team, very talented and technical – but almost all good power metal bands have such a duo. Same goes for Antonsson’s fine bass and Salow’s massive and energetic drums. While they are a talented group, there is nothing that sets Nostradameus apart from the crowd.
The above criticisms aside, Illusion’s Parade is a decent power metal album if you are into the genre, but it is not groundbreaking in any way nor will it bring the uninitiated into the fold. Too many tracks sound alike due to the static audio arrangement and similar tempos of the music, but what is there IS good.
There are a few gems in here, and those are the handful of tracks that have a slightly “different” feel. “The Mariner” is very good, featuring fine lyrics and a driving rhythm line that doesn’t quit (or try to beat the listener into submission). “Nothing” also features good lyrics and a catchy chorus, and “Time For Madness” is simply a good song. The musical highlight of the album is undoubtedly “Broken Soul (Virgin Mary)”. This is a moody, relatively low-key song with amazing technical musicianship and fine lyrics delivered with passion. It stands out because the tone and tempo are radically different from the rest of the album, and shows Nostradameus at their best. If only the rest of the album was done with this level of care, creativity and enthusiasm …
Grab this album if you are a hardcore power metal fan, but otherwise avoid it. The few superior tracks are not enough to pull the entire disc out of mediocrity, but they do demonstrate that Nostradameus has talent and potential. All this band needs is to find something, anything, which will make them stand out from the crowd. Ultimately Illusion’s Parade disappoints, as there is way too much raw talent here – they can do so much more than produce run-of-the-mill power metal.
Label: AFM Records
Web: http://www.myspace.com/nostradameusofficial , http://www.afm-records.de/en/bands/bands-Nostradameus.html
Track Listing:
01. Walk Of Pain
02. The Art Of Deception
03. The Mariner
04. Nothing
05. Eclipse Of The Sun-cult
06. Broken Soul (Virgin Mary)
07. Illusion’s Parade
08. Armageddon Forever
09. Time For Madness
Hardrock Haven Rating: 6/10