MELTED SPACE: Darkening Light (PROGRESSIVE METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

In just a few years, the excellence of Pierre Le Pape's work has resulted in making each new Melted Space album an event. This "Darkening Light" was therefore expected after a succession of works of great quality and recognized as such and whose calendar regularity is to be underlined.

In spite of the excellent level of "The Great Lie", a little flaw had emerged in the production a bit backward, which slightly obliterated the enormous pleasure felt when listening to it. Here, no sound defect. The production is resolutely metal, with overpowering guitars and fabulously mixed voices letting you appreciate the accuracy of the interpretation of the twelve singers who are, each in their own style, remarkable. Clémentine Delauney (Visions of Atlantis) is simply amazing in lyricism and grace, while the vocals of Ailyn Giménez Garcia (Sirenia) is more delicate and brings a voluptuousness that stands in remarkable contrast to the rhythmic power. The "extreme" vocals of Black Messiah, Guillaume Bideau (Mnemic) or Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquility) are the perfect counterpoint and illustrate the darkest part of the tortured soul of Pierre Le Pape. The original point is however the presence of many female voices that sometimes intermingle as well as the artistically and mediatically notable presence of Jeff Scott Soto (Soto, Sons Of Appolo...).

On an intrinsically musical level, we are dealing with a certain power underlined by guitars overflowing with energy. In a great coherence, Melted Space makes us cross various musical continents by means of an orchestration sometimes Dantesque or discreet or even symphonic. We are sometimes close to Symphony X's vehement prog metal with unstoppable riffs, symphonic power metal, melodic black/death and other varied evocations while keeping a homogeneous and intense sound. Variety is undeniably one of the strengths of this opus which takes us into a rather dark but far from hopeless universe. The light indeed gushes forth from the detour of an ethereal song or an orchestral cavalcade. The result is even more catchy than on previous albums. The listener is immediately caught up in compositions that manage to keep the attention after several listenings,

It is difficult to find any default in this new grandiose work by Melted space which gains in coherence and efficiency. The numerous voices are sublimely used in their respective registers with even more beautiful choruses. An album not to be missed. - Official website

MELTED SPACE

DARKENING LIGHT

SENSORY

PROGRESSIVE METAL