When KAMELOT’s latest release first turned up on my doorstep, I was quite skeptical. Any more sub-standard power/progressive metal would have made me completely lose faith in the genre. However, the boys from Florida have proven me wrong; there is still life in this genre, and this album is of top quality in many respects.

“The Black Halo” is similar in style to their 2003 release “Epica”, however the band have added some great new dimensions to their sound, and in doing so have created one of the best melodic power metal albums that I have heard in a very long time.

The opening track, “The March of Mephisto” is an amazing and perfect opening to the album. The song conjures images of a coliseum battle between good and evil. Extra dimension is added via a guest vocal performance from Shagrath, frontman from DIMMU BORGIR. His growling vocals add a nice dark tone. Another special guest, Jens Johansson (the talented keyboardist from STRATOVARIUS) brings more brilliant contributions to this song.

I think the most impressive part of the album is the brilliant guitar work. Thomas Youngblood truly shines here, finding a perfect blend between heavy riffs, subtle ringing tones, speedy riffing, and atmospheric leads. Roy Khan’s vocals are impeccable for this style of music; good range, nice variation, and not too over-the-top with operatic theatrics. The longest and possibly the best song on the album is “Memento Mori”, an epic track spanning almost nine minutes. The different phases that this track passes through flow seamlessly and include symphonic orchestration, slowly building up to a frantic riff and lead-fest.

For fans of this metal gentre, this album is a "must buy" and could possibly be one of the picks of the year. For everybody else (including me), "The Black Halo" deserves a listen, as it is quite spectacular.

- Saltry

OFFICIAL SITE: www.kamelot.com

MP3 SOUND SCRAP: Nothing Ever Dies

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