Kamelot is a band that I guess need no introduction. With their medieval inspired music and thoughtful lyrics, the American band have known to seduce many fans. Although guitarist and main man Thomas Youngblood founded the band already in 1991, it lasted until five years later that “Eternity”, the debut album, was released. Since then, in a course of five years, Kamelot added three more studio albums and one live recording to their discography.
I still remember that in 2001, just after the release of “Karma”, news was spread that the band were already working on a follow-up. That made me a little afraid that there was going to be ‘Kamelot overkill’, but fortunately, it’s only now – end 2002, beginning 2003 – that the album is actually being released. The highly anticipated and thoroughly marketed new disc has gotten the name “Epica”. Behind this mysterious monicker hides a musical journey through a fantasy world and story inspired by German writer Goethe’s Faust. According to the biography, this concept works on three layers: the story itself including different persons and events, the ideas of the main character searching for truth and inner peace and of course the music. The latter is of a very high standard in the Kamelot tradition, albeit more symphonic, more operatic and more progressive than on any of their previous albums. A couple of guest appearances add even more to the overall feel of the album. Talented female singer Mari, who will release an album with her own ‘opera metal’ band Titania in 2003, plays the role of Helena, the love interest of the main character. A guitar solo by Luca Turilli (Rhapsody), who accidentally happened to be in the studio, can be heard on “Descent Of The Archangel” and Ian Parry (Elegy, Consortium Project, Vengeance) appears on “Interlude IV (Dawn), not singing, but narrating. Ear catchers of the album are the single “Center Of The Universe”, the aforementioned quite heavy “Descent Of The Archangel”, the very melodic “Lost & Damned” and the Eastern influenced “The Mourning After”.
A very interesting and superb album in short, that will suit to be a terrific New Year present for a lot of you. “Epica 2” awaits us in 2004… (SL)
 

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Modulator (on 25/01/06) "Epica" is good album but "Karma" is there "almost masterpiece"! This guy's have their sound but somethimes it' little boring!   Hard Rock Guru (on 16/03/05) Kamelot rules the world!!! Not as good as Karma but as always, very very good. Center Of The Universe is UNBELIEVABLE!!! Kamelot is maybe the best melodic epic power metal band ever. Take that Rhapsody!!!   Gamma (on 21/11/04) Very good album, with an unexpectedly good ending. Not as good as Karma, but nonetheless very good.   RodSteel (on 1/03/03) This band is the fucking best!! Forget the other melodic stuff KAM RULES   VaDeR (on 17/01/03) Well....Great band, great album. Cool production too! Only....not as good as their previous work. The songlines are a bit too Kamelot... Some lines do sond a bit too much like the things we have heard before on their previous albums. Still a must have cd;) This band is top-notch

 

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