KAMELOT – Dark Asylum: Cinematic Metal in a Victorian Nightmare

Kamelot is an American power metal band from Tampa in Florida, formed by guitarist Thomas Youngblood in 1987. Through the years, the band has never been particularly interested in knocking politely on the door of darkness. And on this their new album, their fourteenth, Kamelot simply builds a cathedral around it, locks the doors and invites the listener inside.

Welcome to the Dark Asylum

And I am now locked in! The album takes place within the fictional RavenHill Asylum, where Victorian grandeur, psychological torment, fractured memories and the search for redemption become the framework for another ambitious chapter of Kamelot‘s cinematic metal. The album features a striking cast of guest performers: Decessus frontwoman and current Miss World Chile champion Ignacia Fernández lends her voice to both Dark Asylum and Sanctuary.

The impressive guests on Dark Asylum

Then, joined on the latter by Visions Of Atlantis frontwoman Clémentine Delauney for a powerful and dynamic duet. Avantasia mastermind Tobias Sammet brings his iconic gravitas to One Last Masquerade, and Lea-Sophie Fischer of Eluveitie’s violin on Beneath the Moon (Tunglið) is accompanied by the ethereal voices of Rannveig Sif Sigurðardóttir and Sólveig Sara Leupold. Additional choral layers from Billy King enrich the album’s grand, immersive sound, while Kiara Huber sets the tone with an evocative introduction on Dark Asylum.

This record is one helluva melodic symphonic metal masterpiece, from the cinematic Ashen World, the damn catchy Dark Asylum, the equally catchy Sanctuary featuring the aforementioned Clémentine from Visions of Atlantic together with the growls of Ignacia Fernández. And that’s just the start, need I go on? Everything here is so damn good but let’s not forget their main vocalist Tommy Karevik. He has had difficult shoes to fill after Roy Khan left almost 15 years ago, may be coming in from some criticism (not from me I hasten to add), but he sure has nailed it here as always. These are strong words from me but to my ears, with standout cuts galore, this may well be a contender for symphonic metal album of the year, we shall see. Buy!

Tracklist

1. Sanctorium
2. Ashen World
3. Dark Asylum
4. Sanctuary
5. Nocte Veritas
6. One Last Masquerade
7. Ivy, My Dear
8. Godlike Alchemy
9. The Sleeping Mind
10. Kaleidoscope
11. Enigma (Think Of Me)
12. Cassandra’s Disease
13. Beneath the Moon (Tunglið)
14. The Puppet King
15. Sanctum Requiem

Line up

• Tommy Karevik – Vocals
• Thomas Youngblood – Guitars
• Oliver Palotai – Keyboards
• Sean Tibbetts – Bass Guitar
• Alex Landenburg – Drums

Dark Asylum is out now via Napalm Records, and can be purchased here.

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