Review: Kamelot - Haven | |||||||
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Haven | |||||||
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Label: Napalm Records Year released: 2015 Duration: 53:52 Tracks: 12 Genre: Power Metal Rating: Review online: June 6, 2015 Reviewed by: Sargon the Terrible |
Readers' Rating How do you rate this release? Rated 3.5/5 (70%) (32 Votes)
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Review | |||||||
Hard to believe it's been ten years since Kamelot hit the peak of the Khan era with The Black Halo - an album I have heard this one compared to, despite how ridiculous that is. Haven is, instead, a further refinement of the sound they explored on their first post-Khan album Silverthorn, and it finds them hitting their stride into their third incarnation. Whereas The Black Halo showed a band at their creative peak, taking risks and trying new things, Haven is all about what the title would imply - safety. There is nothing surprising at all about this album. The production is smooth and rather faceless, with little bite, the guitar sound is synth-layered mush, and the songs all go down smooth and catchy. From the opener "Fallen Star" through album highlight "Veil of Elysium" and more quiet moments like "Here's to the Fall" smooth is the word I would most use to describe the band and their sound. Far from the muscular, organic sound of albums like Epica or even The Fourth Legacy - much less Black Halo - everything about Haven is polished, shiny, and safe. That makes it sound like I don't like this album, when really I like it fine. It's got catchy songs, good performances, and more depth than an initial listen will tend to give credit for. Aside from less interesting songs like "Citizen Zero" and the blur of filler that fills out the last third of the disc, this album is always listenable, even if a lot of it is just moments borrowed from better Kamelot albums assembled into new shapes. It's just sad to see a band that used to produce art turn to producing product. |
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More about Kamelot... | |||||||
Review: Epica (reviewed by Christian Renner) Review: Epica (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: Eternity (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: Ghost Opera (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: Ghost Opera Tour (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: Haven (reviewed by MetalMike) Review: Karma (reviewed by Christian Renner) Review: Karma (reviewed by Larry Griffin) Review: One Cold Winter's Night (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: Poetry for the Poisoned (reviewed by Larry Griffin) Review: Poetry for the Poisoned (reviewed by MetalMike) Review: Poetry for the Poisoned (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: Siége Perilous (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: Silverthorn (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: The Awakening (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: The Black Halo (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Review: The Expedition (reviewed by Michel Renaud) Review: The Fourth Legacy (reviewed by Michel Renaud) Review: The Shadow Theory (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible) Interview with Khan (vocals) on July 30, 2007 (Interviewed by Sargon the Terrible) | |||||||
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