VOYAGER: Colours In The Sun (PROGRESSIVE METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

If there is one band that hasn't waited for current fashion to incorporate synthpop elements into metal music, it's Voyager. It's even been the DNA of the Australian combo for fifteen years. Except that where others use the pop sounds of the 80s to highlight atmospheric passages (Tesseract) or as a starting point for a radical aesthetic turn more or less depressive (Leprous), Voyager reminds us how danceable and optimistic the new wave could be. And frankly, it feels good. Especially since, if "Ghost Mile", published two years ago, was already remarkable in every respect, "Colours In The Sun" is a pure jewel.

This new album from the Perth Quintet is the most brilliant follow-up the band could give to its predecessor. By focusing even more than before on the eighties keyboard sounds ('Colours','Brighstar') and by accentuating the groove of his djent rhythms, Voyager finds the perfect balance between nostalgia and modernity, between A-ha and Tesseract, between Duran Duran and Leprous, between Talk Talk and Disperse.

From then on, it quickly becomes impossible to get away from this addictive and enjoyable music. The group shows such know-how and coherence that it immediately takes us into its colourful melodic spiral. Dominated by Daniel Estrin's enchanting pop voice, "Colours In The Sun" is a concentrate of sunny pop metal tracks with catchy choruses of dreadful effectiveness. The album is a series of hits, including 'Runaway' and his jubilant keytar solo or 'Entropy' whose chorus is sung by Einar Solberg of Leprous, and demonstrates how mastery and talent can make much more complex compositions obvious than they seem.

Indeed, although very accessible, Voyager's music does not deny its progressive component. This is particularly the case with the dazzling "Saccharine Dream", which starts off in a staggered way like a smartphone ringing and continues with a rhythmic djent, pop keyboards and a high-pitched solo. Australians have no equal in infusing flamboyant romanticism into compositions that remain firmly rooted in a metal dynamic that they never seek to erase, as evidenced by the enormous rhythmic work of "Reconnected" which responds to the "Disconnected" present on "Ghost Mile", or the heaviness of the murderous riff of "Water Over The Bridge" that Devin Townsend would not deny.

Addictive and enjoyable, with remarkable melodic power and a perfect production, "Colours In The Sun" is the Australian sunshine that will warm up our fall. A remarkable album that will hopefully propel Voyager into the big league for good. By signing with Season Of Mist, the band seems to have finally given itself the means to seek well-deserved international recognition, it's high time! - Official website

VOYAGER

COLOURS IN THE SUN

SEASON OF MIST

PROGRESSIVE METAL