• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
• Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity
• Lipz: Changing The Melody
• The End Machine: The Quantum Phase
• Stargate: Escaping The Illusion
• Turbulence: Binary Dream
• Sonata Arctica: Clear Cold Beyond
• D'Luna: Monster
• Big Big Train: The Likes Of Us
• Benjamin Croft: We Are Here To Help

February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
• Durbin: Screaming Steel
• Smoking Snakes: Danger Zone
• Revolution Saints: Against The Winds
• Striker: Ultrapower
• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
• Robert Hart: Circus Life

January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

[ More Music Reviews ]

Heavatar: Opus II - The Annihilation

Heavy/Power Metal

3.5/5.0

Website Facebook
EarMusic
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 07.02.2018

When Stefan Schmidt (vocals, guitar) isn't promoting the a cappella metal band Van Canto, he's directing his Heavatar project. Schmidt and Heavatar gain inspiration from classical music composers to create their melodic heavy power metal. Or as Schmidt has asked, "What would it sound like, if Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, and friends joined a metal band?" We will find out with their latest creation Opus II - The Annihilation.

Heavatar

Or perhaps not. We only have Schmidt's word. Apparently Puccini informs the chords of None Shall Sleep. The small piano opening to Hijacked By Unicorns (great song title by the way) is from Chopin to create a heavy metal shuffle. If there is any recognizable reference to a great classical composer it comes with the title track, The Annihilation where Heavatar steals the distinctive opening from Beethoven's fifth symphony.

Then Schmidt adds that ideas come from Mendelssohn, Boellmann, and Vivaldi. But what these musical ideas are and where they appear are not all that obvious. With songs such as A Broken Taboo, A Battle Against All Hope, and the lighter An Awakening, Heavatar adds a basic synth symphonic layer to give the songs a "classical" feel. With A Battle Against All Hope you may notice a stronger "violin" presence. For pure classical symphonics, there's an orchestral version of A Look Inside as a bonus track. Additionally, with Metal Daze, Heavatar does a cover of that great classical composer Manowar. But all said, Heavatar's Opus II - The Annihilation merely sounds like traditional heavy/power metal with a touch of symphonic and classical nuances. There's nothing new there, but it does sound rather epic.

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

All said, Heavatar's Opus II - The Annihilation merely sounds like traditional heavy/power metal with a touch of symphonic and classical nuances. There's nothing new there, but it does sound rather epic.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]