Eight years after their well-received debut, Greek Progressive Metal band Sunburst have at last got around to recording the follow-up, “Manifesto”. All the members of the band have been busy with other projects, but admirably the line-up has remained stable since 2014, which immediately brings some consistency and continuity to this release, a worthy successor to that debut, showcasing talented musicians working extremely well as a comprehensive unit.
The band’s own brand of Progressive Metal is crammed full of intricate rhythms and snappy time changes which you would expect from this style. The guitar is fabulously heavy, filling the music without the need for overbearing, overtly symphonic keyboards, which are kept to an enhancing minimum, courtesy of a guest appearance by the multi-talented Bob Katsionis, who instinctively seems to know just how much embellishment to add to the already concise and interesting arrangements. The usual protagonists like Symphony X and/or Dream Theater are on the surface easy to liken Sunburst to, but they are slightly less technical (or dare I say, less self-indulgent?), and the real interest lies as you dig deeper into their sound.
There’s a darker guitar vibe, which might bring to mind Nevermore, possibly leaning more towards Borealis and maybe Evergrey. But when you add in vocalist Vasilis Georgiou’s delivery being akin to that of Roy Khan, you can’t help but be reminded of Conception (especially their recent material since reforming) and the more progressive moments of Kamelot. Whilst the band have some similarities to other bands, they also have a unique quality when given their sound in its entirety. In the main, Sunburst use vocal hooks rather than obvious choruses, which suit the band’s unpredictable arrangements, but when they do indulge in a little vocal attention-grabbing, like with the chorus to ‘Perpetual Descent’, the band give the casual listener an instant, juicy way in, a point in which to explore the intricacies of the rest of the album from. And there’s certainly much to explore.
Sunburst are a very accomplished and professional unit indeed, who immediately elevate themselves into the higher echelons of the Progressive Metal genre. This once more begs the question as to why the band have taken so long to unleash their two quality albums. But it’s what it is, and equally, “Manifesto” shows a maturity and a fullness that has maybe come from the band members having so much time away, so as to be enthusiastic and energised by the prospect of a new Sunburst album. This enthusiasm and energy really comes across in the excellent songs showcased throughout this rather fine album. Hopefully album number three will be along well before 2032!
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
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