Frontiers [Release date 14.04.23]
On his second album now fronting Archon Angel, Zak Stevens probably couldn’t tell you how many albums he’s appeared on.
We’ll help him out: Since 1993, five as Savatage’s frontman, five up front with The TSO and seven with Circle II Circle. Plus one off appearances in bands like Machines Of Grace, Empires of Eden and a dozen or so more.
And yet that soaring tenor voice is still intact. In fact on this, his second album with Archon Angel, it sounds stronger than ever.
The band is essentially guitarist / writer / producer Aldo Lonobile’s melodic metal vehicle, and he couldn’t have wished for a better vocalist.
Stevens takes the fragile quality of the music (it’s there if you look for it) and amplifies it several fold, giving it the epic emotional weight the songs deserve.
The growth of ‘The Wake Of Emptiness’ from a monastic, prayer like beginning to an electrifying, exciting piece of rock opera, and ‘Quicksand’s quick change parade of spine tingling synth orchestrations might have misfired had it not been for Stevens.
It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t hit every note on the nose, because he pours his heart and soul into the music. His voice just soars.
Even the “ordinary” material, like ‘Away From The Sun’ and ‘One Last Reflection’ (which would probably shine on many other artists’ albums), comes to life because in Stevens hands, they are turned into dramatically thrilling pieces of theatre.
Inevitably, that makes the two genuine standout tracks, ‘Afterburn’ and ‘Lake Of Fire’ really, truly, especially good. ****
Review by Brian McGowan
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
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Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
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