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The Dystopian Project: Death Leaves An Echo
The Dystopian Project - Death Leaves An Echo EP CD Album Review

The Dystopian Project: Death Leaves ...

Melodic/Heavy/Power Metal
4.0/5.0

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Unsigned / Self-released
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 18.03.2015

Here's The Dystopian Project, an upstart Irish metal formed a mere two years ago. The female-fronted band will self-release their first EP, Death Leaves An Echo at the beginning of April. It's modest offering with five songs at just over 30 minutes.

The Dystopian Project Band Photo

The Dystopian Project

But it's a fine start from the band. Working from the foundation of traditional melodic heavy metal, The Dystopian Project tosses in elements of symphonic and power metal, some slight folk elements, with a fine rock groove underneath. Vocalist Antonia Close has moderate, mid-range, voice rather than the operatic that is so often found in female-fronted metal. Actually, her timbre makes me wonder if she escaped from a more traditional folk band.

As for the songs, it's nearly possible to find a dividing line between the first three and last two. Broken Reality, Delirium, and Dystopian are songs leaning more towards heavy metal. Broken Reality has a quicker pace and stronger riffs with some really terrific guitar solos. I was instantly attracted to this song from the rhythm and groove swelling underneath, notable at the halfway point and moving forward. Delirium was not necessarily a favorite. It seemed mostly sharp riffs and Close trying to rise above them. Dystopian, at nine minutes, puts the band into anthem mode. It's an epic number with a large symphonic layer, mixed tempos, and more of those sweet guitar solos.

Finally, the last two songs finds the band dialing back, becoming lighter. Last Innocent Man is largely Close singing over piano and acoustic guitar for a melancholy ballad. Winter's Hall, also lighter, develops texture from guitar and subtle keys, with the drums pushing the arrangement along. The vocal arrangement is almost choral and you may here some of those slight folk elements. Yet, while your being soothed into some relaxation, thanks to the vocals, the song rises at the end with the pace quickening and another guitar solo soaring. As said earlier, Death Leaves An Echo is a fine start for The Dystopian Project, interesting and entertaining in every respect. They indulge the best of their chosen genre without necessarily becoming another generic clone of female fronted melodic heavy metal. Recommended.

The Dystopian Project - Delirium


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In Short

Death Leaves An Echo is a fine start for The Dystopian Project, interesting and entertaining in every respect. They indulge the best of their chosen genre without necessarily becoming another generic clone of female fronted melodic heavy metal. Recommended.

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