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The Endless Cycle
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The Endless Cycle |
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| Afterpain are a symphonic metal band from Argentina formed in 2014 by Vanina Coletti (vocals) and Mauro Fallico (keyboards), releasing their debut E.P. 'Outcomes' in 2019. The bands first full length album 'The Endless Cycle' was released in 2020. | ||||||
| Featuring a hard hitting, power metal tinged symphonic rock/metal sound, 'The Endless Cycle' is an incredible one hour in length, with eleven songs emitting passion and emotion in an atmospheric and edge of your seat, tension filled, cinematic fury. 'Flying Dreams' opens the album and thunders in, all heavy and power metal orientated. The powerful vocals of Vanina soar elegantly, and 'The Endless Cycle' is up and running. At a slightly slower tempo but with much more beef and punch, 'Misery' hits hard like a wrecking ball delivering the coup de grace! The impact of the albums opening double shot is emphatic, with third song 'Enemy' delivering a heavy hitting operatic oomph. The melodic power metal flavour of the bands music coupled with the symphonic vocals are a joy to the ears, making fans all around the world feel very happy, very happy indeed. | ||||||
| Afterpain haven't positioned themselves in just the one genre of metal - they cover at least five, maybe more. This is a band that is gonna appeal to a very wide audience. Increasing the beef and intensity, 'Monster' is high on energy, and fairly packs an almighty punch. Rage by name, rage by nature, 'Rage' is the fastest song so far, displaying a level of aggression not heard on the album so far. And that opening riffage is so savage ears are gonna bleed. And by contrast, 'Forgive Us' lands fairly and squarely in epic ballad territory. Heavily led by keyboards and a soaring vocal performance, 'Forgive Us' will have lighters held high and arms stretched high in the air swaying from side to side. A sensational goose pimply offering, 'Forgive Us' is a majestic mid album moment. What can be called the bands signature sound returns to the album in impressive fashion - 'Eternal Prisoner' is a mid tempo melodic march of elegance. The pulsating rhythm is intoxicating, and the vocal performance is beginning to mesmerise. The band seem to have found the perfect mix of symphonic power metal, performing with a high level of passion. | ||||||
| 'Outcomes' is the most "heavy metal" sounding song on offer, mixing traditional metal traits with their signature sound, resulting in a heavy hitting, and fairly blunt, assault on the senses. Delivered at a foot on the monitor pace, 'Outcomes' is a glorious head banger, and will please die hard traditionalists. 'Lights Out' returns the album to epic ballad territory, but has way too much oomph to just remain there. The majestic and hymn like "surround sound" cinematic delivery is immense, and will certainly stun a few listeners. At nearly ten minutes in length, 'Despair Of The Brave' is by far and away the longest song the album has to offer, and is one helluva magnificent stroll. 'Despair Of The Brave' takes a meandering journey through the symphonic power metal genre, delivering an epic slow to mid tempo, operatic and hymn like performance. And the vocals - simply stunning as they soar higher than anywhere else on the album. 'Bye Bye Bye' ends the album in a flourish - and by a flourish, I mean in the least symphonic power metal way the album has to offer. And why wouldn't it! For it is Afterpain's take on American boy band NSYNC's Top 10 single from their 2000 album 'No Strings Attached'. Afterpain have beefed it up a couple of notches, and increased both the tempo and energy levels. | ||||||
| Overall, symphonic power metal of the most epic and tension filled nature, with every song elegant and intoxicating. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Reviewed for Metal Gods TV | ||||||
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