Serenity have certainly not failed to impress in the symphonic metal scene, albeit being slightly more underground. With 3 years on the clock and a couple of line-up changes, the band have sought to change all that with the new offering ‘Codex Atlanticus‘.
[tracklist]
01. Codex Atlanticus
02. Follow Me
03. Sprouts Of Terror
04. Iniquity
05. Reason
06. My Final Chapter
07. Caught In A Myth
08. Fate Of Light
09. The Perfect Woman
10. Spirit In Ohe Flesh
11. The Order
[/tracklist]
[details]
[length]64:52[/length]
[record_label]Napalm Records[/record_label]
[release_date]January 29th 2016[/release_date]
[/details]
The album eases you in at it’s humble beginnings with the symphonic instrumental ‘Codex Atlanticus‘ that is simply worthy of the opening credits of a film score. But it’s what comes next is interesting – with an introduction of epic proportions, one would thing the double-speed drums would come roaring in with the transitioning symphony seamlessly blaring in the background, but Serenity opted to have their track ‘Follow Me‘ begin with some ballad keys serenading you. Then a few seconds later…a mid-tempo power metal track starts up that show cases the phenomenal soaring vocals of Georg Neuhauser.
I must say that is one of the odder starts to a power metal album I’ve heard in a while, but it certainly caught my attention…and I do love when that happens! Perhaps that was pre-constructed, as suddenly ‘Codex Atlanticus‘ fires into full force with the raging ‘Sprouts of Terror‘ showing off Serenity’s overcoat, and prove that they intend to thread the rest of this piece with gold lining.
The lead single ‘Iniquity‘ is one of Serenity’s best tracks to date, making full use of the synthetic orchestras to add a new level of bombast to the band’s music, and it is met with great success. They are going all out for this one by providing dramatic flair through all the instruments and vocal lines alike, sheltering the complex layers in each track with seamless transitions on each bar of music.
The production on ‘Codex Atlanticus‘ is something that is really impressive, with no part of the mix being anywhere out of place – in other words, everything is as audible as it should be, and in music as complex as this it is a grand achievement! Tracks like the moving ‘My Final Chapter‘ are so atmospheric one is completely engulfed into sound, with the more aggressive ‘Fate of Light’ showcasing that diverse edge that Serenity have become more and more respected for over the years.
There is no doubt that whatever has happened in the Serenity camp over the past 3 years has been for the better. The band have without a doubt offered their finest release to date with ‘Codex Atlanticus‘. It’s an album that symphonic and power metal fans could have playing for a while to come given how fruitful and fleshed out it plays. A diverse offering that touches all the right emotions, spurns the right atmosphere and drops all the right jaws – Serenity have gone all out to give us something great, and ‘Codex Atlanticus‘ is just that. It’s hard to imagine already that any symphonic release in 2016 will top it.
[verdict]Yes[/verdict]
[why]A massive offering from Serenity that has been so intricately crafted that a listener will be sucked into the album the same way you’d be sucked into a season on Netflix.[/why]
