Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
The 6-member Swedish symphonic metal band first formed in 2005 by keyboardist Timo Hautamaki. They released their debut in 2010 and after being joined by new vocalist Frida Eurenius has just issued their second album “A Loss Made Forever”. At only 31-minutes long, this is one of those albums that falls somewhere between a full-length and an EP. Being that it is so short, there is very little wasted time and the band makes every note count. Starting with the obligatory symphonic intro, “Ascension”, Lapis Lazuli then segues into the first proper song “A Loss Made Forever”. This is mostly a mid-tempo Nightwish style number and a good way to begin things. This is one of the strongest tracks in my opinion, thanks to its dramatic nature and big, sweeping symphony style arrangements. New vocalist Frida Eurenius has a cool voice and was an excellent choice of singers, she handles the majority of the vocals but is joined by male singers at certain points throughout the CD. “The Silence” is up next and continues in the same vein as the previous song. Once again Frida’s vocals are impressive, as is the overall musicianship and writing. “Home” is next and has an accessible quality to it. “Serpent (Black Sun)” begins with a heavy straight forward guitar riff as the male vocalist begins the song before being joined by Frida to create a cool duet. Musically, this is the most stripped down song, where the symphonic elements take a back seat. For the next song “When Dreams Collide”, Lapis Lazuli brings back the symphonic style, full force. The male vocals certainly don’t detract from anything; they are mostly delivered in a normal metal or Gothic style with the only exception being the final song “Dragged Into Shade” where they get a little more aggressive and growly. Lapis Lazuli’s “A Loss Made Forever” chooses a musical direction and pretty much doesn’t venture off course. Overall, I really liked this album, actually more than when I first heard it. It has really continued to grow on me and has me hungry for more from this Swedish band. Hopefully next time it will be longer than 31-minutes long.
Rating – 88/100
Tracklist
- Ascension
- A Loss Made Forever
- The Silence
- Home
- Serpent
- When Dreams Collide
- Dragged Into Shade
Line Up
- Frida Eurenius – Vocals
- Johan “Joey” Karlsson – Guitar
- Tobias Rhodin – Guitar
- Timo Hautamäki – Keyboards & Vocals
- Henrik Nyman – Bass
- Joakim Ivarsson – Drums
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Twitter * Site