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Lust For Wonder

      
         
         
         
     
             
Doxa are a symphonic power metal band from Spain formed in 2007 by keyboardist Victor Fernandez. Recruiting well known musicians from the local Spanish metal scene, Doxa released their first album 'Once...And For All' in 2010, with the bands second album 'Delenda Est Carthago' released in 2013. For the bands third album 'Lust For Wonder', released in 2017, Doxa underwent a number of personnel changes, including Rita jimenez as the bands lead singer. The new album also features guest vocalists Ani M Fojaco (Last Days Of Eden) and David Readman (Pink Cream 69).    
             
Symphonic metal is something I have never really been a fan of, yet with Doxa they bring a much more metal feel to their music and I found myself really enjoying this album. Just take the opening song, 'A Game For You' as a prime example. Apart from the sound of symphonic metal as it comes to life, the majority of 'A Game For You' is high on energy and intensity and powers on with purpose. A great opening, followed by 'Annabel Lee', with guest vocalist Ani M Fojaco taking over as lead singer. 'Annabel Lee' loses all the punch of the opening song, very much keyboards led with a superb symphonic vocal performance by Ani. 'Annabel Lee' does take on a much heavier feel as it strides on, but it definitely has both feet planted in the symphonic metal genre. Power metal returns to the album as 'The Spring Of You' launches into life with a catchy and infectious groove and chugs on at a mid tempo pace. Very hard foot tapping will accompany 'The Spring Of You' as it bobs and weaves its way to a conclusion. Bustling and brash 'Creole' is heavy on the symphonic, heavy on guitars and high on catchiness as it swaggers on. Gloriously epic in its sound, 'Creole' is a cracking slab of hard rocking symphonic metal, with a superb twist at halfway, but I am not gonna spoil that surprise, so you will just have to listen for yourself...    
             
Ani returns for lead vocal duties on the quick paced 'The Stormseller'. Tinged all the way through with symphonic metal traits, 'The Stormseller' is heavy American sounding power metal. The pace and power is kept going with the thundering 'Queen Of Spades'. The vocal duties are passed over to Dani G (guitarist for Darksun/Last Days Of Eden), who impresses with a top notch performance. 'Queen Of Spades' will keep the head bangers of the world very happy as it rampages by. Pink Cream 69 singer David Readman takes on the role of lead vocals for the high paced 'Erin Go Bragh'. Introducing elements of the folk metal genre, 'Erin Go Bragh' is a catchy and infectious romp of heavy metal. Twelve songs across nearly one hour of play time, 'Lust For Wonder' is an intriguing and interesting journey, made all the more mysterious by the different singers, as you just have no clue which way musically the album will turn next... Slumbering into life, 'Windlike', is a mid tempo romp, guitars displaying the buzz sound synonymous with the NWOBHM genre. A delightful symphonic metal vocal performance accompanies 'Windlike', with this song probably classed as the signature sound of Doxa.    
             
Sublime keyboards introduces 'Two Roses', with the song dropping all the pace and power heard previously. Atmospheric and epic, 'Two Roses' could be a "symphonic ballad", if that genre existed. Lighters in the air, arms waving and bodies swaying accompanies ballads and that's exactly what will be happening to the listening audience as 'Two Roses' gently glides by. At over six minutes in length, 'Hymn To The Ravenlord' is the longest song on offer, opening in epic and crescendo building fashion before taking on the vibe of a mid tempo foot stomp. Keeping an air of the epic as it strides on majestically, there are touches of the progressive metal genre woven in too. Bringing the heavier feel back to the album, 'When A Dream Says Farewell' also brings back Dani G on vocals. Thundering along at a high tempo, 'When A Dream Says Farewell' is a hard rocking, sharp edged and punchy heavy rock song. The album is brought to a close with the heavy foot stomping 'A Fool's Tarantella', with Dani G sharing the vocal duties with the bands singer Rita. Featuring a folk metal influence too, 'A Fool's Tarantella' ends the album with a symphonic/folk/power metal feel.    
             
Overall, offering much more than just hymn like symphonic metal, this album also offers high doses of power metal and heavy rock.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Audacious PR    
             
             
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