Finding myself with an MP3 player loaded with this album, I listened to it seriously for a couple of full runs today, and decided to review it. Auvernia are a Buenos Aires-based extreme power metal band; their EP, You Will Come, was released on August 19th 2006 through the open-source music website Jamendo.
Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, You Will Come is a four-track tour de force of extreme power metal. It's quite an impressive sounding thing, with wide-ranging influences and a huge variety of instruments. In this respect, it's quite unusual for something of this genre, which I find tends to be guitar and techno-ish keyboard effects. Auvernia have taken the different step of adding in extras like bells and harpsichords and other random instruments. This is especially prevalent in the final track You Will Come, where there's an acoustic breakdown. Their instrumentation and power metal style is quite similar to the Japanese outfit Wizard's Hymn.
For the most part, the tracks sound like a power metal version of Children of Bodom, with such riffs as the opening of The Successor. However, to add a touch of variety, they've also added in lashings of high-speed power metal like Dragonforce. There're classical influences too, much like the band Demons & Wizards. This comparison goes a little deeper still because of the twin vocal singing, a stylistic element unusual for the genre. In a similar vain is the track In The Fire on the Roadrunner United compilation.
The vocals are worth mentioning; part of the time they're almost a parody of Iron Maiden, whilst at other times it descends into the unwittingly terrifying croons of melodic black metallers Cradle of Filth. But there is also a bit on You Will Come that sounds as cheesy as Dream Evil - a jokily grim voice proclaiming odd things.
All-in-all, it's power metal, but it's surely not as we know it. Traditional power metal bits, sure, but it's got the stylings of Swedish death metal as well as some melodic black metal and just a smidgen of thrash. Naturally there's a healthy dose of cheese thrown in, but it's not an explosion at a gorgonzola factory as some power metal can tend towards. It's a great little EP, and I'd like to hear a lot more of these guys. In fact, frankly, if this is the sound of Argentinian power metal, then all of us European power metallers should be heading south west. Soon.
An odd mix of samples and original songwriting, this is a sublime album which certainly deserves the attention of many an interested Jamendo user. There are obvious influences from gypsy rock, as well as a very laid back feel that sometimes seems to descend into quiet, easy electronica with guitars. It's very individual and a breath of fresh air from a whose music I'm very unfamiliar with.
My personal favourites are the final two, Nos Tempos do Dr. Roberto, where the band seem to drop back into a country and western style which rolls and increases in speed beautifully. Then there comes the final track, the wonderful Laura em Chamas, which is pretty, haunting and delightful. It sounds like a real classic from them.
Irreversiveis sounds like Gogol Bordello, with a touch of Razorlight and Kings of Leon for good measure. There is certainly an affinity with any rock group who have ever used samples, which they do to extremely good effect on lots of the tracks on H.G. Wells. They also seem to take some influences from classical Iberian guitar music, which blends with their individual sound rather delightfully.
Live, this group would sound incredible. It would be a wonderful show which might well change lives, and certainly involve the entire audience with a nice stage show. I'm unlikely to ever see them play live, but it sounds like anyone who would get the opportunity would have a great time.
The album is also just the right length, neither too long nor too short as many of the demos that appear on Jamendo are. The cover is amusing and intriguing, but I can't say it reflects their style perfectly. I'm not sure that's why it only gets 9 out of 10, but it goes some way towards the explanation. All-in-all, well worth listening to for the casual explorer of the Jamendo universe!
I have listened to both this and Lies and Speeches, and certainly thought that the latter was better, but this is not by a long stretch of the imagination a bad record. My personal favourite tracks are Let Go and No Name. No Name is the most relaxing track I've heard by Hype, with the former being a wonderful example of their hard rock work.
The whole EP is definitely harder than Lies and Speeches, but it is a little more messy and less well-defined. Their sound has, instead of settling into something definite, diversified into broader areas, and there are far more hard rock sounding licks on the EP than on their more rock-indie debut, but this can sound a little out of place with the lead singer's voice.
Hype (and in particular this album) sound like directly influenced by the mid-90s Britpop scene, with melodies very similar to Oasis and Ocean Colour Scene, but with a real lashing of REM, especially in the vocals and lyrics. There is some influence from hard rock, but it never dares to foray into the blistering riffs and heavy sounds of the early metal era.
All-in-all, this album is definitely harder in sound than the first, and this certainly isn't a bad thing. It's pleasant to listen to, and it would definitely work live, but there isn't enough material and almost too much diversification to judge it properly as an independent record.
It's really not common to find such a varied album, even on Jamendo. I don't think I've ever heard such a collection of styles and genres on one small album! Almost everything is a long way out of my experience, but not comfort zone, and has introduced me to quite a few new styles which I'll be able to explore further from here. There is a real flow through the entire set of tracks which accentuates The TenGooz's bizarre and amazing style.
My personal favourite two tracks are probably Mary-Mack and Mio Mine, which are extremely funky, fun and catchy - I find myself singing them constantly! Having said that, the opening The Chills is also rather haunting and slick - It sounds like a spaced-out 'Back in '72' era Bob Seger. The rest of the album is difficult to place alongside another artist, as the styles are not ones I am really familiar with. Perhaps a more upbeat and happier Space.
The cover is also rather eyecatching and amusing, and seems to encapture the entire style of The TenGooz, both in its drole design and flowing, spacey colours.
According to The TenGooz's personal description of this album, this is intended to mimic the sound of the band live. If that's the case, then it'd be very good - I can certainly see these guys playing small jazz venues or open air festivals quite happily!
All in all, it's a remarkable album, but almost too varied to pin it down to the supreme refinement of an excellent style.
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