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Black Fate: Ithaca
Black Fate: Ithaca
Melodic/Progressive/Power Metal
4.5/5.0
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Rockshots Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 09.10.2020 | Released: 23.10.2020
It may take them more than a few years, but Grecian band Black Fate eventually gets back to the studio. Formed some two decades ago, we last heard from Black Fate with 2014's Between Visions & Lies which featured new guitarist Gus Drax from Biomechanical. Now, with a new keyboard player, Themis Koparanidis, on board the band becomes a quintet and returns with their fourth studio album, Ithaca.
Black Fate
With this latest album, Black Fate continues their venture into progressive power metal. Most songs within Ithaca develop from sharp harmonic riffs and the gallop and groove of a vigorous rhythm section, before adding Vasilis Georgiou's strong, soaring, and melodic vocals. Hands down, and perhaps largely unnoticed, he's one of the best metal vocalist around right now. Sometimes he reminds me of vocalist Roy Khan. With the addition of a permanent keyboard player, Black Fate adds some symphonic embellishment to their songs. This is quite notable within, Savior Machine, Nemesis, and the extended acoustic ballad Rainbow's End. At the start of One Last Breath, the keys lead with a lively solo before the song drops into some faster melodic metal. The song ends with another fine synth solo. All these things combine and eventually lead to an epic and ambitious Gus Drax solo (or two) or, as within the aforementioned Rainbow's End, delightful and spry acoustic guitar play.
Upon listening to the album several times, and adding these things up, I found Black Fate sounding like, or perhaps better said, entering the realm of a band like Kamelot. With the addition of a stronger keyboard presence, combined with the melodic and lightly technical arrangements, the songs of Ithaca have become more expansive, engaging, and so quite entertaining. All said, if you like melodic and sometimes symphonic, progressive power metal in the best tradition, you will enjoy Black Fate's Ithaca. Easily recommended.
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The Bottom Line
If you like melodic and sometimes symphonic, progressive power metal in the best tradition, you will enjoy Black Fate's Ithaca. Easily recommended.
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