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Sometimes, when you're sifting through the seemingly endless amounts of music being put out nowadays, you stumble upon something so fresh, mesmerizing and moving that you can't help but recommend it to everyone in sight, apart from listening to it non-stop for the first couple of months after its release. Such is the case with Shadow of a Fallen Star Pt.1, the third full-length by Seven Sisters, a young English band formed barely ten years ago. From the moment I set eyes on the artwork, I knew I was in for something special. I mean, just look at those beautiful green/blue/turquoise/violet colors depicting an ethereal and interstellar city surrounded by shining stars and spaceships and tell me you're not immediately thrown into epic space voyages and the discovery of ancient planets and civilizations. At least that's the impression I got: this goes to show just how important the artwork is for a newly released record.

Fortunately, I am pleased to report that the music lived up to the expectations set by that alluring and mystic picture. The album starts off with a haunting intro track that sets the mood perfectly for what's to come: beautiful acoustic passages merge with electric guitars and drums that eventually segues into the first track. Intros are not easy to pull off: sometimes they feel self-indulgent or meandering, but this one immediately lures us in, summoning a sense of wonder and awe that will persist throughout the album. It evokes things long forgotten or memories of distant places that we once had but are now lost forever. Then, the first proper track, "Beyond the Black Stars," blazes forth like a solar flare, with beautiful riffing, powerful drums and a tremendously audible bass that set us off on our adventure. Then we get some of the most soulful and nostalgic vocals I've heard in a long time, courtesy of frontman Kyle McNeil (who, by the way, also recorded, produced and mixed the album). In the first part of the record, his vocals are urgent and almost angry, denoting the sense of purpose and determination that the protagonist has on his quest. The next track, "The Artifice," is my personal favorite, with beautifully melodic guitar work that never ceases to be inventive and never becomes idle, coupled with weeping solos and soaring vocals. The choruses are a true highlight of the album, at times sounding epic and uplifting, but always with undertones of sorrow, conflict and loss. We can feel a sense of expectancy and of wonders to come once this song reaches its conclusion, after a deeply emotional slow passage and a reprise of the chorus.

I could do this for every single track, but that would turn this review into an essay, so I'll try to summarize the rest. Listening to this record is like listening to a story (which was definitely intended, since this is a concept album that advances the narrative with each song, and is meant to be experienced on a single listening session). Through the first half of the album, we feel the determination and purpose of the adventurers, fully committed to their cause and ready to tackle any obstacle that might block their path. The galloping riff of the third track fills us with energy and leaves us breathless once we reach the halfway point of the record. At this moment, things begin to change: Kyle's vocals become more sorrowful, and the lyrics get darker. Fear, doubt and hesitation start to creep into the heart of the protagonist. Brooding guitars, ominous drums and bass and wailing vocals fill us with what the adventurer is experiencing. This reaches its nadir in the sixth track, which is a semi-ballad. This is the critical moment of the journey, where our hero must decide whether to give up and be consumed by loneliness and exhaustion or to press on, despite the adversities. You can almost feel the weight of life bearing down on him. At the end of this track and all through the next one, everything explodes and we feel a renewed sense of purpose. The adventurer has found one last reserve of strength and realizes he has no more to lose: he was destroyed and now he is born anew. There is a sense of anticipation that suggests a final battle or test coming. Finally, we reach the mammoth final track, "Truth's Burden," the longest one of the album, clocking in at seven minutes. Everything here comes together: the instruments, working as narrative elements, slow down or pick up the pace when the story needs them to. They strike fear or instill courage: there's no going back, it's do-or-die. Finally, we reach the climax and our hero makes a terrible finding and realizes the truth. Understanding dawns on him: he must now flee from the ones that protected him and continue his search for knowledge, alone and persecuted. It all comes full circle: even the musical themes presented on the intro track are recalled in this epic conclusion. It gives us release, but leaves us hungry for more: now what? What will he do with this terrible truth? Will he emerge victorious or will he go into exile, forgotten and shunned? I guess we now must wait for Pt.2 to find out the answers to these questions.

Well, in case you didn't notice from my failed attempts at summarizing this album, I think it's truly fantastic. At 40 minutes, it never overstays its welcome, and it manages to round out the epic story it tells, despite the fact we haven't reached its end. Every element is carefully thought out and placed; every note, passage and verse is there to give life and meaning to the story. The infinitely creative instrumentation and the beautiful vocals create a perfect harmony that never lets up. I must also mention the lyrics: they are intelligent, poignant, evocative and always exciting, making it seem as if we're listening to a literary piece. Case in point:

"I look out and wonder on this long and lonely night.
For all the power that knowledge can bring. Whom does it serve if not I?
Far are the horizons I can see beyond these skies,
Follow the footsteps my ancestors laid,
Free me from this life."

If you're still not convinced after reading this, I don't know what more to tell you. Do yourself a favor and go listen to this beauty.