Waverly lies North – A Soul in the Void (2014)

Hailing from France today we have an excellent Power Metal band called Waverly Lies North, and their debut full-length release “A Soul in the Void”. Being in the intersection between bands like old Stratovarius and Rhapsody of Fire, this French outfit delivers nearly 50 minutes of explosive music that will have you cheering and psyched up from start to end.

Opening with the epicness of “The Curse”, this release is off to a great start with lush orchestrations, solid guitar leads, and excellent vocals (courtesy of Eric Pariche). With a very well defined Power Metal foundation, tracks like “A Soul in the Void”, “Labyrinth” and “Chimaera” have a very epic mood that is greatly enhanced by excellent atmospheric elements, dramatic guitar leads, and very well rounded vocal performances that elevate the music.

With most bands overdoing their orchestrations, we feel that Waverly lies North does a pretty good job in balancing their core Power Metal sound with orchestral enhancements, rather than making them the centerpiece of their music as we can hear on songs like “Aria Nocturna”. This track is one of our favorites thanks to the addition of female vocals to provide extra depth in the band’s sound. “Gilded Faith” and “Follow the River” are other clear examples of musicianship and creativity over flashy atmospheric elements, since both songs feel more vocal/guitar driven than anything else.

Closing on a very dramatic note with “Final”, the band leaves us with a very epic vibe and a level of satisfaction that only a handful of Power Metal releases manage to do. As a whole, “A Soul in the Void” an excellent release that relies more on the band’s instincts and core elements than any of the flashy lush elements, and for this we commend Waverly lies North. If you are looking for a Stratovarius/Rhapsody of Fire hybrid, this is exactly the release for you.

Label: Brennus Music

Release: March 20th, 2014

Genre: Power Metal

Country: France