Kamelot – Poetry For The Poisoned pre-listening
A detour from the stage
During a break from their ongoing summer festival tour, Kamelot sent an invite for a small pre-listening of their upcoming album, Poetry For The Poisoned, and Metalmoments was on the scene to enjoy the moment.
We were kindly bid welcome to the Home Studio in Hamburg by Roy Kahn, Sascha Paeth and Max (from Edel Music), and after a short introduction by Kahn in which he explained that it was only a select few of the songs we would be treated to as they were still recording, and that these ones were far from finished with mixing and such, the music was turned on and Kahn left the studio.
The Great Pandemonium
Begins with some gloomy church-singing and keyboards, after which we get a heavy, riffing guitar thrown at us as the whole thing is turned loose. Throughout the song we are treated to several changes, both in tempo and style, musically and vocally, and it still ends up feeling quite catchy. Probably one of the winners on the upcoming album. We are told that Björn ‘Speed’ Strid (Soilwork) have put down guest vocals for the song.
If Tomorrow Came
Here Kamelot pulls the speed down to a mid-tempo song. Gone are the well-known symphonic pieces, instead we are treated to a large dose of electronics laid on a ground of chugga-chugga riffing guitars. In time for the chorus the song changes its character though, and shows of a happier and more traditional heavy metal side to itself.
House On A Hill
This one has a very quiet and calm start, which leads me to think that this is the albums power-ballad. Kahn is now coupled with Simone Simons (Epica), which isn’t a first for the band. What catches me the most are all the little quirks which are dished out on the guitar. Coming up to the solo, the music becomes more hectic, only to be abruptly stopped afterwards to the benefit of an acoustic guitar and some strings. Just as you thought it was coming to an end, a new solo pops up on acoustic guitar backed by heavy riffing, as the songs slowly fades out.
Necropolis
As the name suggests, we are here dealing with something very heavy and dark. Some calmness is found during the first verse, after which the distortion returns to kick our teeth in. The vocal parts flow pretty normal, but up towards the solo a very dramatic middle-piece comes from the musicians. As it sounds right now, it is clearly the music that carries this one.
Dear Editor
This is really only an intro to the next song, in which we hear Kahn, to a background of city-noise, compose a letter for a newspaper. As the song is about the Zodiac Killer, we are told that the text which is being read is an authentic copy of the last letter the madman wrote before disappearing. The letter is known as The 1978 Letter.
The Zodiac
The song kicks off heavy and fast, only to change to some calmer and spooky guitar-doodle with an almost speaking voice. It is nice to hear how Kahn really gets an opportunity to unfold and try different nuances and feelings with his voice, all done as the varied music flows perfectly with it. Apart from the first one, this was the song with the largest hit-potential for me. Jon Oliva (Jon Oliva’s Pain) contributes with some guest vocals.
Poetry For The Poisoned
The title-track offers us a quadruple epic adventure, in which we are thrown from one extreme to another, without feeling that the song looses itself in the transitions. Here is hard-punching heaviness, calm piano-play and lots of drama. It is easy to hear, both in length and style, that Kamelot in this one wants to give us something above the ordinary.
The finished album will contain about 13 songs in total, but it was only these which the band felt were long enough in the process to be presented. It is as of yet uncertain when the album will be released.
(this article was written by me for Metalized magazine, issue 69. The album has since been released, and is now available in stores)
Text: Tobias Nilsson
During a break from their ongoing summer festival tour, Kamelot sent an invite for a small pre-listening of their upcoming album, Poetry For The Poisoned, and Metalmoments was on the scene to enjoy the moment.
We were kindly bid welcome to the Home Studio in Hamburg by Roy Kahn, Sascha Paeth and Max (from Edel Music), and after a short introduction by Kahn in which he explained that it was only a select few of the songs we would be treated to as they were still recording, and that these ones were far from finished with mixing and such, the music was turned on and Kahn left the studio.
The Great Pandemonium
Begins with some gloomy church-singing and keyboards, after which we get a heavy, riffing guitar thrown at us as the whole thing is turned loose. Throughout the song we are treated to several changes, both in tempo and style, musically and vocally, and it still ends up feeling quite catchy. Probably one of the winners on the upcoming album. We are told that Björn ‘Speed’ Strid (Soilwork) have put down guest vocals for the song.
If Tomorrow Came
Here Kamelot pulls the speed down to a mid-tempo song. Gone are the well-known symphonic pieces, instead we are treated to a large dose of electronics laid on a ground of chugga-chugga riffing guitars. In time for the chorus the song changes its character though, and shows of a happier and more traditional heavy metal side to itself.
House On A Hill
This one has a very quiet and calm start, which leads me to think that this is the albums power-ballad. Kahn is now coupled with Simone Simons (Epica), which isn’t a first for the band. What catches me the most are all the little quirks which are dished out on the guitar. Coming up to the solo, the music becomes more hectic, only to be abruptly stopped afterwards to the benefit of an acoustic guitar and some strings. Just as you thought it was coming to an end, a new solo pops up on acoustic guitar backed by heavy riffing, as the songs slowly fades out.
Necropolis
As the name suggests, we are here dealing with something very heavy and dark. Some calmness is found during the first verse, after which the distortion returns to kick our teeth in. The vocal parts flow pretty normal, but up towards the solo a very dramatic middle-piece comes from the musicians. As it sounds right now, it is clearly the music that carries this one.
Dear Editor
This is really only an intro to the next song, in which we hear Kahn, to a background of city-noise, compose a letter for a newspaper. As the song is about the Zodiac Killer, we are told that the text which is being read is an authentic copy of the last letter the madman wrote before disappearing. The letter is known as The 1978 Letter.
The Zodiac
The song kicks off heavy and fast, only to change to some calmer and spooky guitar-doodle with an almost speaking voice. It is nice to hear how Kahn really gets an opportunity to unfold and try different nuances and feelings with his voice, all done as the varied music flows perfectly with it. Apart from the first one, this was the song with the largest hit-potential for me. Jon Oliva (Jon Oliva’s Pain) contributes with some guest vocals.
Poetry For The Poisoned
The title-track offers us a quadruple epic adventure, in which we are thrown from one extreme to another, without feeling that the song looses itself in the transitions. Here is hard-punching heaviness, calm piano-play and lots of drama. It is easy to hear, both in length and style, that Kamelot in this one wants to give us something above the ordinary.
The finished album will contain about 13 songs in total, but it was only these which the band felt were long enough in the process to be presented. It is as of yet uncertain when the album will be released.
(this article was written by me for Metalized magazine, issue 69. The album has since been released, and is now available in stores)
Text: Tobias Nilsson
