Independent Release
Review By Tony Cannella
From the Czech Republic comes Innocens. Their debut full-length “FREE /us/” was released in 2008, but it is definitely worthy of being reviewed now. The band play highly accessible, symphonic rock/metal, complete with orchestral arrangements, strong female vocals and some seriously wicked melodies. This Czech band really came out of nowhere for me, but after listening to “FREE/us/” there is no denying the infectious power that this CD delivers. “FREE/us/” features 12-songs that really flow together well from beginning to end. Lead vocalist Katerina can pretty much sing in any style she chooses. She goes from a nice, clean mid-range style to operatic at times. She possesses a great diversity in her voice, a fact that is evident from the opening track “H.O.P.E.”. The style of, “FREE/us/” is up-tempo and melodic and this opener gets things off to a strong start, with a melody that just grabs you from the outset and a big orchestral sound. The next track, “The Shining” begins with some nice piano and the solo voice of Katerina comes in, before the song kicks into high gear and evolves into a mid-tempo track – that once again (and I don’t mean to sound redundant here) – boasts an infectious melody and chorus that really drive this track. The big sound of the band continues on the next track, “The First Snow” and from there the classy material just keeps on coming. Other highlights include: “Free Me”, “Race”, “Queen of My Own” and the final number “Remember”. I was seriously blind-sided with the quality of music that, “FREE/us/” delivers and the final result is an excellent debut from Innocens. Can’t wait to see what this Czech band comes up with next.
Rating – 88/100
Tracklist
- H.O.P.E.
- The Shining
- The First Snow
- Free Me
- Voyage
- Race
- InterMezzo
- Fragrance of Memories
- Image
- Life for Sale
- Queen of My Own
- Remember
Line Up
- Katerina – Vocals
- Michal – Guitars
- Petronius – Keys & Synths
- Jaroush – Bass
- Thom – Drums
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Twitter * Site