Six albums in and Swedish Power Metallers Veonity are still evolving, both musically and personally. Guitarist Anders Sköld has decided to take a step away from lead vocal duties this time around to concentrate on just being one half of a very talented twin guitar assault with bandmate Samuel Lundström. Along with bassist Kristoffer Lidre and drummer Joel Kollberg, this quartet achieved five very impressive albums over the past ten years, keeping a stable line-up throughout. However, “The Final Element” introduces new singer Isak Stenvall, whose dynamic, soaring vocals have the potential to take the band up another mighty level.
Anders Sköld was no slouch in vocal department, in fact he’s very accomplished indeed, it’s just that ex-Lancer vocalist Stenvall has the perfect type of voice for the kind of, galloping, bombastic Power Metal that Veonity now find themselves excelling at. And in turn, this seems to have freed up the band to expand the songs even more, as well as the amount of fabulous dual guitar interplay, which will no doubt be a lot easier for Sköld to focus on in the live arena.
Veonity were already knocking on the door of the big Power Metal leagues with previous album “Elements Of Power”, but with the addition of Stenvall, the band are able to easily run with the current crop of Power Metal darlings such as Twilight Force, Bloodbound and Majestica, the latter of which also include Veonity drummer Lidre in their ranks. One difference for Veonity though, is that they approach Power Metal very much from a traditional European direction, incorporating many shifts in tempo and mood within the album, which has the potential to appeal to fans of Rhapsody Of Fire, Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica and so many more.
Catchy, anthemic choruses are called upon seemingly at will, as the dazzling musicianship weaves its magic throughout. Both music and vocals gel perfectly as each takes it’s turn to impress. Veonity at times sound like a band unleashed, such is the positivity and energy that exudes from each entertaining composition. Even the multi-layered harmonized vocals that close the So-much-like-Rhapsody-because-we-can title track, just go to seal the professionalism that this band exude. Veonity really do sound like the complete package and all of a sudden and the future looks almost limitless for a band with these credentials, talent and experience. Surely one of the stand out Power Metal albums of the year.
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
Leave a Reply