Last Updated on 02:40 AM by Giorgos Tsekas
Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Metal Blade Records
Country: Sweden
Year: 2015
Is it another great discovery or another discord among the fans in the progressive genre hangouts? If you are into progressive, you’ll estimate the band at first sight. You maybe need some hearings more, if you are a tough type guy; then you are stuck. Time has passed since remarkable progressive bands came out from Sweden. I wonder where the hell Metal Blade dug them out from. They struck a golden vein again. The band is female-fronted.
«Duende» is the debut album of The Great Discord from Linköping (hometown of the hated Ghost and the famous drummer Erik Martin “Axe” Axenrot / Triumphator, Bloodbath, Witchery, Opeth etc.) consisting of Fia Kempe (voice), Aksel Holmgren (drums), André Axell and Gustav Almberg (guitars) and Rasmus Carlson (bass). Formed in 2013 by Fia Kempe and Aksel Holmgren with their common interest in progressive and pilgrimage to sacred monsters of music, such as Genesis and King Crimson; Meshuggah, The Dillinger Escape Plan serve as their inspiration as well.
Fia Kempe’s voice, similar to Cristina’s Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) in the tone, is enigmatic; she has theatricality and passion to her interpretations. Their music embraces and embodies an unpredictable alternation of emotions, different in each song, which sometimes convey negativity, anger, sadness, weakness and other times positivity, passion and strength. Whether the band is playing aggressive and heavy, technical or melancholic, their talent and their ideas are the ones that make their music compelling and exciting.
Music grandiose, destructive, unique; like the music we inherited from the majestic and immersive Psychotic Waltz, so it’s quite difficult to actually label them. Moreover, labels don’t fit in such artists that widen their music base without regurgitating their influences.
The songs have an average duration of about 5′ long, with only one seven-minute track. For a progressive album the duration is fine. Definitely listen to «The Aging Man», «Selfæta» (featuring death vocals), «Eigengrau» and «L’homme Mauvais». The progressive apocalypse of the year.
4/6