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Holy We Are Alone

    
       
       
       
     
             
Saeko are a power metal band from Japan formed in 2003 by Japanese born Saeko Kitamae, who flew to Germany to find a metal band to join. With the help of some local musicians, the newly formed band released their debut album 'Above Heaven, Below Heaven' in 2004. Touring with Doro, and appearing at Wacken Open Air festival, helped to raise the profile of the band. Following the bands sophomore album 'Life' - released in 2006 - Saeko flew back to Japan, and band activity was suspended for a number of years...    
             
...until 2020, when Saeko relocated to Germany, creating a new band, with musicians from Germany and Italy, and in 2021, the band released their third album 'Holy We Are Alone'. Featuring a wide array of influences, the new album crosses boundaries, taking inspiration from. not only the power metal genre, but from the symphonic, folk, progressive, and classic rock genres too. The ten songs on offer span several cultures, differing themes, and features lyrics in different languages too, such as English, Japanese, and German. The album glides into life courtesy of the short instrumental/spoken word intro 'Circle Of Life', segueing into the opening song proper 'In My Dream'. Blending heavy metal and hard rock, 'In My Dream' is a hard hitting and infectious opener, that makes listeners sit up and take notice - Saeko is back, and ready to rock hard...    
             
...with 'Music My Love' beefing up the bands sound, creating a Middle Eastern atmosphere during the songs intro. The turn of speed across the chorus break will please the die hard heavy metallers. The wide diversity shown across the opening two songs continues to widen, as the album powers on with the heavy hitting style of British rock courtesy of 'Never Say Never'. Harking back to a time when rock was evolving into the beast that it is today, the sound of the seventies features highly during 'Never Say Never' - think the early days of arena rock. At over eight minutes in length, 'Rebellion Mission' is by far and away the longest song on offer, with opera a major feature. With a vocal performance you'd normally hear in an Opera House, 'Rebellion Mission' mixes the opera style with hard hitting traditional metal, effectively creating a mini metal opera. Visions of a huge stage, lights, costume and scenery changes, and a standing ovation spring to mind!    
             
With a title hinting at a ballad, 'Farewell To You (From Father To Son)' is no where near a ballad...instead opting for a doom laden feel, mixed with pace changes and an old school "foot on the monitor" metal vibe. Although Saeko has been classed as a power metal band, the styles on offer here are wider than the smile on the face of a kid in a candy store! So many genres are highlighted, and so many different musical styles are on show, the dynamic of the bands audience is incredibly diverse. A mellow and serene mood descends on the album as the keyboard intro to 'Splinters Of The Sun' gently caresses the senses, and then smacks them hard as pace and power increase tenfold - and 'Splinters Of The Sun' becomes a head bangers dream as it cruises on with purpose and intent.    
             
Unlike its first instalment, 'Farewell To You (From Mother To Daughter)' does follow the ballad path, with a much more soulful vocal delivery than heard anywhere else on the album. 'Farewell To You (From Mother To Daughter)' is emotionally sung, and is basically just keyboards and vocals - with a few sound effects thrown in. And as the album nears its end, the band live up to their power metal label with a crushing power metal gallop - 'Heroes' is classic sounding European power metal, full of pace and power, and one hundred percent infectious. The required catchy and sing a long style chorus is present, and 'Heroes' affirms the bands position in the power metal genre. Bringing the album to its end, is the title song 'Holy We Are Alone'. Not so much a song, more of a short instrumental/spoken word outro, echoing how the album began.    
             
Overall, an insanely wide ranging and diverse display of musical styles, 'Holy We Are Alone' is an eclectic collection.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal-Roos    
             
             
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