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

March 2023

• Excalion: Once Upon A Time
• RPWL: Crime Scene
• Transworld Identity: Seven Worlds
• Stormwarning: Stormwarning
• Phantom Elite: Blue Blood
• Narnia: Ghost Town
• Redemption: I Am The Storm
• Cross Country Driver: The New Truth
• The Banishment: Machine And Bone
• Seventh Crystal: Wonderland
• Demons Down: I Stand

February 2023

• Air Raid: Fatal Encounter
• Robin McAuley: Alive
• Creye: III - Weightless
• All My Shadows: Eerie Monsters
• First Signal: Face Your Fears
• Gabrielle de Val: Kiss In A Dragon Night
• We Came From Space: Overlords
• T3nors: Naked Soul
• Wig Wam: Out Of The Dark
• Khymera: Hold Your Ground
• Infinite & Divine: Ascendancy
• eMolecule: The Architect

January 2023

• Girish & The Chronicles: Back On Earth (Reissue)
• Arctic Rain: Unity
• Electric Mob: 2 Make U Cry & Dance
• Crowne: Operation Phoenix
• Ronnie Romero: Raised On Heavy Radio
• Ten: Something Wicked This Way Comes
• Riverside: ID.Entity
• Issa: Lights Of Japan
• Heroes And Monsters: Heroes And Monsters
• Big City: Sunwind Sails

December 2022

• NY Fury: I Want It All
• Tommy DeCarlo: Dancing In The Moonlight
• Tarmat: Out Of The Blue
• Scream Maker: Bloodking
• Sabu: Banshee
• Rob Moratti: Epical
• Nevena: Nevena
• Landfall: Elevate
• After Lapse: Face The Storm

[ More Music Reviews ]

Operus: Score Of Nightmares

Melodic Symphonic Power Metal

4.5/5.0

Website Facebook
Pride & Joy Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 17.06.2020 | Released: 19.06.2020

North of the border in Canada, we find the bustling city of Toronto and epic metal band Operus. The sextet is made up of musicians both classicaly educated and having extensive musical (and theatrical) experience with such acts as Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Annihilator, Skull Fist, and shows such as Beauty & The Beast. Operus now returns with their second long-player, Score Of Nightmares, on the Pride & Joy Music label in Germany.

Operus

While this is my first spin of an Operus album, their metal musical style is rather straight forward: melodic and symphonic power metal. You can add epic and bombastic to the list of adjectives as well. But, you're probably wondering, do they have a female lead vocalist, something so common within the genre. Alas, no. So think more Rhapsody Of Fire rather than Sirenia or Arven.

The strengths of Operus's music are manifold. The song composition is exceptional, having a dramatic, operatic to theatrical, feeling, yet a balanced participation of all musicians. Sometimes I thought I was listening to a film score to a movie that had non-stop action and adventure. Second, some of that musical drama is carried along by vocalist (and actor) David Michael Moote, who has both an emotive and expressive voice. Third, Operus has a cellist in Robin Howe. Now, he hardly accounts for all the immense orchestration; that's probably synths and programming. But cello in a band and song arrangements is very cool. Finally, adding fireworks to the epicness (I don't think that's really a word), you'll hear some thrilling guitar solos throughout. And for the power and glory of Operus's symphonic power metal, my best song picks are Phantasia, Book Of Shadows, Ruin (listen below), and La Llorna. All things said, if you like your power metal melodic and symphonic, epic and bombastic, you will enjoy Operus and their latest release, Score Of Nightmares. Recommended. Get it.

If you like your power metal melodic and symphonic, epic and bombastic, you will enjoy Operus and their latest release, Score Of Nightmares. Recommended. Get it.

Alphabetical Index

Formed 23 years ago, Finland's Excalion has had a turbulent musical career. Before releasing a trio of albums between 2005 and 2010, they had personnel changes. Currently, only the drummer and keyboard ... [ Read More ]