Vanguard – Hydralchemy

Releasedate: 14-01-2009; Label: Shadow World Records
By: Elvira Visser

Although the CD has been released for quite a while now, it still deserves a review. You might have heard about this Finnish band before, as they have won a contest held by Metal Hammer magazine and Armageddon Music at the Wacken Open Air Festival back in 2004. To follow up their debut album “Succumbra” (2005) they now released “Hydralchemy”.

After reforming their rhythm section and gaining more live experience on stage it was time for an new album. In the summer of 2007 the band entered D-Studios in Finland to work on their second album. Minerva Pappi from Finnvox Studios took care of the finishing touch and then the album was ready to be released in January 2009.

The band creates a sound that has more that reach the ear then only a gothic sound, as I think many would label this band. But there is much more to hear. The music is accompanied by a cello that gives a little extra to their sound. What I like about this album is that their tracks are varied. Suvi G might not be the best female vocalist around she does show she knows how to use her voice in different ways from very angelic to more fierce. Jori Grym is taking care of the sharp growls. “Ouija” is one of the tracks that let me turn up the volume on my stereo. The intro is quite soft but needs to be heard. The cello opens this track and then when the rest joins it will, and needs to burst out of your speakers. Suvi’s melody lines makes it quite catchy but there is much more happening on this track, different layers but together it does not sound like there is too much. To me this is one of the tracks that stand out on this album. As said before the band knows how to vary their sound from more melodic black metal to progressive and power metal. It creates a nice fusion, added with their voices and cello, I must say this band keeps interesting till the last tune. To end their CD they covered “Black No. 1” from Type O Negative.

Tracklist: 01. Regenesis 02. Spellbroken 03. Chimera 04. Zenith 05. Scion 06. Ouija 07. Untold 08. Whisper 09. Scarlet 10. Slither 11. Black Nr. 1

Links:
Vanguard Official