Portuguese six-piece Glasya are a self-proclaimed “Soundtrack Metal” band, a concept I haven’t quite came across before as a description of what to expect from the music a band will offer. To break this down, you can describe the sound of the band as Symphonic Power Metal meets Progressive Metal providing the backdrop for a concept or idea given life and drawn out into an album-length story. In this case, the concept is a historic dramatization of a high-ranking soldier in the ancient Persian Empire growing disillusioned with the Emperor and the usual tropes of rebel turned hero, leading former enemies to overthrow the evil empire and save the day… Y’know, typical cinema/tv schtick. So, let’s take up arms and join Attarghan in his quest to save the ancient world.
The first thing of note regarding this release is how well laid out the composition and arrangement of the music is. From start to finish, the actual song writing is solid. Traditional metal instruments, synths and orchestral arrangements all work fluidly to create a real solid atmospheric effect which in turn helps add the theatrical side to the narrative element within the lyrics and the music itself. Symphonic Power Metal blasts through with huge distorted guitars, tightly controlled drums and at times, operatic vocals, in all you could say it’s Nightwish and Within Temptation meets Iced Earth. Melodic lines litter the tracks, subtle synths nudge the surface of the mix, augmenting ominous chords or crashing cymbals to add to the atmosphere and actual spoken narrative elements help progress the story, helping paint a picture of what to expect. The band themselves have said that they are inspired by the old OST’s of the 60’s and 70’s where samples and music were often intertwined to tie a particular moment to a musical component and if this is the goal of Glasya, then it has certainly been achieved.
Moving on from the technical parts, because face it, you want to know about the music, not behind the scenes… “Attarghan” is a solid 15 track release which has a great flow to it. You can sit there and listen to it either in one sitting to get the full experience or simply pick tracks as you wish, you don’t need to know the full story because each track explains perfectly what is going on at that point in time. The clear and commanding vocals which hit the operatic range at times soar majestically over the synths which envelope the hard-hitting metal beneath them, creating a real gripping sensation. “From Enemy to Hero” is a good example to use; its pounding power metal attack with vocal trade-offs, dramatic orchestral bursts and the exotic melodies of the lead and solos paints an action-packed mental picture and from there you get it all. Tales of battles and struggle are delivered with the sense of urgency and determination you would expect a rebel fighting for freedom to feel, moments of composure, tranquillity and liberation are uplifting and empowering and the dangerous journeys and moments of importance are dramatized perfectly thanks to the clever synth and orchestral compositions. Tracks like “First Taste Of Freedom” and “Battle For Trust” land their desired effects brilliantly thanks to the excellent musicianship and vocal delivery, and the pure narrative track, “Queen’s Temptation” captures the crucial moment of the story which could have it take any direction depending on what the central character, Attarghan answers with.
“Attarghan” as a concept is fairly simple and this type of story is pretty cut and dry. It might lack the depth of other concept album releases such as the legendary “Operation: Mindcrime”, “Metropolis pt.2: Scenes From A Memory”, the recent multi-album tales of THEM’s KK Fossor, or Pyogenesis’ steampunk and 19th century inspired trilogy, but it is delivered well despite it’s often used core story of “disillusioned man fights the system”. The intensity of some of the synths and orchestrations can overpower the lyrics or the actual riffs in places, which is annoying in parts, and vocally, the sudden ascensions from solid singing to dramatic operatic screams and wails can grate on the nerves. These flaws/personal irritations aside, This musical tale is one worth giving a listen so you can experience the story for yourself. Having experienced this tale, I look forward to many more epic adventures delivered through the music of Glasya.
(8/10 Fraggle)
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