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Quadrus: Entropia
Quadrus Entropia CD Album Review

Quadrus: Entropia

Melodic/Symphonic/Power Metal
3.5/5.0

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Unsigned / Self-released
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 05.04.2017

I apologize in advance for the "just the facts" sort of brevity of this review. I should also apologize for not carefully reading PR pitch for Quadrus and their debut album, Entropia, because I probably wouldn't reviewed it if I had. More on that in a moment. Quadrus was formed in 2014 by Greek composer, pianist, and guitarist John Galanakis with the goal of creating symphonic and cinematic melodic power metal in a concept album. The concept has something to do with "mankind's history as well as the endless cycle of the interdependence between humanity and the universe." Say what? There's a head scratcher.

Quadrus Band Photo

Quadrus

Musically, Entropia is a very impressive album. As a composer, Galanakis' song arrangements are immense, lush, and thoroughly engaging. Notable within these arrangements are his delicate piano lines and soaring guitar solos. Equally impressive is the depth and richness of the symphonic canvas. Whether Galanakis used keyboards or an actual orchestra is not known, but there's definitely an authenticity to the lush texture the orchestration gives the songs. Needless to say, from composition to musicianship to production, Quadrus excels and Entropia succeeds.

However, where Quadrus implodes, taking a self-inflicted bullet to the head, is in the vocal arrangements. There's three vocalists in play: one female, and two male, including Galanakis. If I would have been careful to read the press pitch more carefully, to the end, I would have seen that Galanakis adds death vocals to the arrangements. I hate dirty, death, hardcore, or whatever you wish to call them vocals. I'm sure in the grand scheme of things Galanakis had a purpose for them. But they're in most every song, in some shape or form. Fast forward. Hit the skip button. Whatever. For me it's a deal breaker. And I don't apologize for my plain spoken honesty. Nevertheless, there are people that like such jank, and so they will enjoy this album.

Quadrus - Deceptive Projection




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The Bottom Line

Musically, Quadrus' Entropia is a very impressive album of symphonic and cinematic melodic heavy metal, only to be dragged down by death and dirty vocals that occur in most every song.

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