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Project Arcadia: A Time of Changes

Melodic Hard Rock/Metal

4.0/5.0

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Nightmare Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 04.09.2014

Naming your latest album A Time of Changes doesn't necessarily have to mean that there's been some dramatic shift of course for your band. Yet changing lead vocalists can be a big deal. That person often represents both the face and voice of the band. Bulgaria's Project Arcadia made a smooth and significant move inviting vocalist Urban breed (Trail of Murder, ex-Bloodbound, ex-Pyramaze, ex-Tad Morose) on board.

Project Arcadia: after the live show.

His vocal style easily traverses melodic hard rock to heavy metal, the purview of Project Arcadia, making for a good fit. This album is a good mix of those styles, enough to throw you off kilter. For instance, at the start Here To Learn and Shelter are fast-paced, intense, songs that mix heavy and power metal, as they rumble along. Then as you move toward the center of the album, Arcadia pacifies their sound in some measure with direct soaring anthem I Am Alive, the calm acoustic driven The Ungrateful Child, and then Timeless, something that 'pops' with a metal angle in spots, but moves with the groove and catchiness of melodic hard rock. Across these songs you also understand the depth and presence of Urban breed's vocals. As I said he fits the music.

Bunched at the end are some more of those metal songs which switch tempos and intensity, blurring the lines of hard rock and heavy/power metal. The constant throughout is the efficient and clean presence of melody, harmony, and groove from the guitar riffs to the rhythm section to the vocal arrangments. And those loving lead guitar work will be pleased, their ears meeting lines sharp and soaring. Admittedly, I liked the mixture of songs in the first two-thirds of the album better than somewhat similarity of the last four. But as a whole, this is a rather cohesive and consistent album, quite strong melodic metal. Recommended.

Project Arcadia - Formidable Foe (Official)

Project Arcadia - The Ungrateful Child (Official)

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

On the strength of a new vocalist, the versatile Urban breed, Project Arcadia delivers some engaging music, blurring the line between melodic heavy/power metal and hard rock.

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