Expect the unexpected!
Progressive metal rock band Enochian Theory, with their 1st full length album ‘Evolution: Creatio Ex Nihilio’, have answered the question that has plagued the minds of musicians for many a year: does a good rock album have to be vocal-led?
Made up of vocalist and guitarist Ben Harris-Hayes, percussionist Sam Street and bass guitarist Shaun Rayment, along with The Lost Orchestra, Enochian Theory’s music is unlike anything you will have ever heard before; released on their own label on their own terms, the band have taken a huge risk, relying heavily on their immense talent for musical imagery; it’s paid dividends! The album is captivating, written just like a story: once you start to listen, you can’t stop! Listeners will experience an overwhelming desire to find out what happens at the end.
Every song on ‘Evolution: Creatio Ex Nihilio’ has an understated power: even with the calmest tracks, like a dormant volcano, there is an incredible strength rumbling just beneath the surface, waiting to erupt. The soft, tender vocals mix perfectly with the wide range of instruments and effects used on the album, which vary from bludgeoning guitars and drums to electric synth effects to violins and cellos. You don’t need to look at the titles to guess what the songs are about: the licking guitars in ‘The Fire Around The Lotus’ for example, sound just like a flickering fire whereas the lulling guitar melody in ‘Waves of Ascension’ (yep, you’ve guessed it!) make you feel as though the music is washing over you. The tracks jump from serene and almost hypnotic to heavy, thundering metal songs in a heartbeat; what’s curious is that this doesn’t seem at all strange. That’s one of the reasons why I love this album - be prepared to expect the unexpected!
’Movement’, and its follow-on track, the appropriately titled ‘After the Movement’, are beautifully calm songs that took my breath away. The violin and cello melodies in ‘After the Movement’ in particular are outstanding.
Enochian Theory’s ‘Evolution: Creatio Ex Nihilio’ was released in the UK and Europe on 3rd August 2009. If you can connect with a song with few words; if you are prepared to try something new, then this is definitely the album for you.
So what is the answer to the question “does a good rock album have to be vocal-led?” you may be asking yourself; well, listen to this album and the answer will be crystal clear!