The UK doesn’t have a vast amount of Symphonic Metal bands, but of the few we have Pythia are one of our best – I love the fact that it was formed by a former member of the Mediaeval Baebes too, as if she thought “Enough of such whimsy – I need some Metal!”. Fast, powerful and dramatic Metal at that. Pythia don’t mess about, there’s plenty of double-kick drums with frantic bass/guitar throughout – topped off with excellent operatic vocals (not only operatic though! This album marks Emily Alice Ovenden’s best and most varied vocal performance to date…and it’s not like she was crap to start with!!!) and topped off with complimentary, atmospheric keyboards (complete with the occasional striking solo to match the guitars!).
This is Pythia’s third outing – 2012’s “The Serpent’s Curse” was reviewed expertly elsewhere on Ave Noctum, so I wanted to particularly mention their 2009 debut, which included one of my favourite UK borne tracks from recent times – the fabulous and aptly titled ‘No Compromise’. It also included a spoken intro on one track by the inimitable Brian Blessed. Heavy Metal and Brian Blessed – how has it not happened more often? Well I’m happy to report he’s back again in fabulous style on the intro to the more Power-Metal angled ‘Sword Of Destiny’. This sits perfectly after the more Symphonic, but lightning paced opener ‘The King’s Ruin’. There seems to be a lot of thought gone into spreading out the quicker tracks over the course of the album…and in Symphonic Power Metal terms, they are pretty damn fast. Bunch them all together and it can sound like Dragonforce, but spread them over the album (the opener + ‘War Games’ and ‘The Key’ specifically) and each one has maximum impact.
Although that said, no song on “Shadows Of A Broken Past” is a slouch! Even the Nightwish crossed with Freedom Call style ‘The Highwayman’ manages to do a double-time verse and bridge (as well as a slow, King Diamond style outro) that distinguishes it from those two bands and thus also ends up reminding me a little of Eyes Of Eden. Still on a musical level, there’s some excellent guitar solos throughout the album and the rhythm section is as tight as…well…my Dad (and he’s tight compared to other Yorkshiremen!). The seven and a half minute epic ‘Your Eternity’ has a quite experimental feel, with it’s deliberately slightly off-key intro, unexpected time-changes and different moods and layers – all held together by intelligent lyrics and varied siren-esque vocals. “Shadows Of A Broken Past” has many vocal highlights, from acrobatic verses and quirky hooks through to fabulous choruses like the one on “Bring Me Home” (a chorus so grandiose yet utterly memorable) – incorporating styles throughout the album that range mainly from a Tarja style but right through to Kate Bush.
This is an album of depth, an album that uses varying levels to hook you in. The quicker tracks are attention grabbing, but always surrounded by tracks with melodic catchiness as well as intelligent arrangements. And Brian Blessed. What more could you need? It seems like I get so little to crow about with home-grown Symphonic Power Metal talent in the UK, so if I might beg one tiny indulgence…Yaaaaay! Wooohoooo! Yes, yes, yes, YES! Yeeeeaaahhh! In your FACE Finland!!! HA! …ahem…thank you.
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
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