ANUBIS GATE - Andromeda Unchained

For the third album of the Danes of Anubis Gate, producer Jacob Hansen came out from behind the mixing desk and took over the microphone, replacing vocalist Torben Askholm. And, might I add, this was a very good thing; his voice fits the album, without being phenomenal. As the album itself isn‘t phenomenal either, but it manages to reasonably avoid the clichés of power-prog and even shine in places (Waking Hour, The Final Overture, Take Me Home). Andromeda Unchained is a fortunate mix between the innocence of 80s melodic metal and the tricks used by modern prog for variety. With a few shades of thrash, electro and prog rock, like they play these days. Well, the temptation to sink into pointless instrumental complexity sometimes proves irresistible to Anubis Gate, but they have a sense of melody and a narrative vocation (it’s a conceptual album) that saves them from monotony most of the time.
(+) balanced, varied, captivating, melodic
(-) a bit lacking ambition and impersonal

Klawz Nota: 8.5