Customer Reviews

Decoder

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ebony Ark is trult an amazing power metal band.... From the opening songs to the closer.. This is one hell of a metal powered to the max with such an incredible female voice!!! Most of the other female fronting band is most average and good. But this!! Oh My... This is a power house female voice here!!! Unbelievable sounds, technicality, song composition and overall feel of DECODER!!! With this album in hand, the most recommended way of listening to this bombastic band is full blast ahead!!!! No holds barrell!!!!!

Ebony Ark floored me from the first moment that I heard them. Beatriz Albert has the ability to sing as sweetly as almost anyone, yet can put in her voice a roughness reminiscent of Janis Joplin. Their guitarist and keyboardist both demonstrate a level of technical skill that is above the average, and a style that is powerful but not overwhelming. If only this band was big enough to come to America...I can only hope that they grow in the years to come.

Incidentally, they are from Madrid, not France.

I first heard "Thorn of Ice" as a recommended video on youtube and loved it and had to check out this band. I got this album (Decoder) and thought it was really good.

I love Beatriz's voice on this album. Powerful, controlled, yet sweet and soft when she needs to be. And none of that terrible portamento that plagues the second album.

Usually in my reviews I like to write a few lines about each of the songs on an album, but pretty much every song on this album would have the same comments: Well composed, epic, great vocals, good production. Whether it's female vocals, male vocals, chorus vocals, or vocal harmony, it all sounds awesome. The guitar work and sweep arpeggios scattered throughout are a nice touch, as well, as are the parts with intricate timing and non 4/4 time signatures. Ebony Ark does everything well whether it's being melodic, aggressive, slow, or fast.

The female-fronted metal genre is becoming more popular and seems to be getting its share of "me too" bands and a lot of bands that try to copy Nightwish or Epica or whatever. I think Ebony Ark's "Decoder" is a unique (in a good way) and powerful entry into this niche. It plays by the rules, bends a couple of them to its advantage, and every track is good without even a single boring moment.

Since I have it playing in the background as I leave this review, I thought I'd mention that the solo on "Farewell" reminded me a little of the solo in "Trail of Tears" by Testament.

5 out of 5 stars.

Coming to this album after hearing and enjoying their second disc `When the City is Quiet' I found this disc interesting in it's formative nature. Really the improvement with their second album is quite marked in terms of arrangements compared to this one and an area where the difference is most felt is the more tentative vocal delivery of Beatriz Albert. Even if you didn't know this was a bands early album already you'd figure it out by the way their sound still seems to be not quite fully formed - and ditto for their presentation in the accompanying booklet.

But I don't want to come across all negative. Not at all. I enjoyed this album, the way in which you could sense the band feeling their way towards their musical goals and hitting the nail pretty much on the head at different times, particularly when they hit some machine gun style modern riff and ride it for all it's worth. Tunes I personally feel are notable would be Thorn of Ice, Nights Cold Symphony and Desire. All three are sturdy enough rockers and the mellower side to the band would perhaps be best evinced by Farewell.

For what must have been a budget conscious effort the booklet is nice with artwork, photos and lyrics. Likewise for the production which isn't super lush but isn't flat, rough or too prissy (the latter being a common pitfall in this style of female fronted metal).

Ebony Ark inhabit a pretty competitive genre as I write this in early 2010. And for your first taste test of this band I'd have to direct you elsewhere but as a fan I got enough out of this purchase to warrant the price finding the metal formative but interesting for the fan and to see the difference between this and their second album was also pleasant.

Recommended for fans of the genre as long as you take the above reservations on board.

This is a beautiful debut from a French band that is sure to rise in the future. If you are a fan of metal with female vocals, then you should for sure like this CD.