Album Review: SKADIKA – Frozen Legends

March 4th, 2013 by david.wilson

Self Release (Release date – out now)

According to the accompanying blurb with this album, Skadika sound like they have been constantly changing and evolving since their inception back in 2005. The only constant across the 7 years has been frontwoman Jule who appears to be the driving force here.

This album was recorded on the back of three members leaving the band in 2012, but Jule has managed to gather together a fine group of musicians to provide her with a fitting symphonic metal backing. The band prove to be a tight, hard rocking unit with great guitar work from Base and Chris. Symphonic metal is indeed the band’s weapon of choice along with a strong pagan metal undercurrent, think Amon Amarth and you are in the right area.

Ironically the weakest spot of the band is the very cement that holds it together, namely Jule. She likens herself to Leann Rimes and Bonnie Tyler and is most definitely your usual Symphonic metal siren.

The music though tends to swamp her and at times she disappears behind a wall of heavy riffs and an ultra-heavy backline. At first I blamed the mix but I’m not so sure,I think the live experience would be much the same. Things work best on the tracks ‘The Hero Way’ and ‘Dark Circus’ with quieter passages which let Jule’s vocal seep through but musically these are probably two of the weaker tracks.

Musically then this album is well worth a listen as there are some great tracks here but overall the package doesn’t stack up. The blurb states that the band tried different styles before settling on symphonic metal, can’t help wondering if Jule wouldn’t be better suited in another softer and more laidback genre.

***

David Wilson

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BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
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