Kamelot – The Shadow Theory (2018)

As one of the most expected releases of 2018, today we have Kamelot and their latest epic release “The Shadow Theory”. Filled with the traditional Kamelot sound and a few surprises, this release unleashes over 50 minutes of bombastic music that should please all the fans of the band and gain them several more. Sadly, with this album the band sends of Casey Grillo on a high note (with the band), and welcomes new drummer Johan Nunez.

The release starts with the bombastic lushness of “Power Divine (Shadow Empire)” with the first duet between Lauren Hart (Once Human) and Tommy Karevik. This track embodies the Kamelot style to perfection, but delivering killer melodies, tight drumming and very well crafted vocal arrangements. As the band goes through “RavenLight” and the industrial-ish “Amnesiac”, we notice some very interesting new elements thrown into the mix, making the band’s sound more dynamic and engaging for listeners.

The keyboard and orchestral arrangements of tracks like “Burns to embrace” are top notch, allowing the band’s lyrical context beautifully come to life with intricate passages and engaging tempo changes. One of our favorite tracks in this release is the magical duet with Jennifer Haben (Beyond the Black) in the track “In Twilight Hours”. This song has it all, killer guitar leads, great vocal chemistry and the band’s signature dramatic arrangements. The album turns a bit faster and more dynamic, with songs like “Kevlar Skin” and “Static” turning up the intensity to 11.

Lauren Hart returns in the explosive “MindFall”, a song that features some growls mixed in with catchy chorus sections and electrifying keyboards. The bass guitar line is quite intricate in some tracks, and perfectly complements Thomas Youngblood’s guitar work, with both working together for so many years, their music is quite complementary and expertly crafted. With highly memorable tracks like “Stories Unheard” and “The Proud and the Broken”, the band showcases great musical maturity and a nearly effortless level of integration between the band members and their compositions.

Overall, “The Shadow Theory” is a highly dynamic album that packs a lot of punch. Kamelot is firing on all cylinders in this one as they managed to release a very impressive release filled with lush orchestrations and brilliant musical arrangements. The departure of Casey will be hard, but we are certainly looking forward to the band taking this album on the road in North America this spring.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: April 6th, 2018

Genre: Progressive/Melodic Power Metal

Country: USA