Veonity - Sorrows (2020)

Hailing from Sweden, today we have Power Metal outfit Veonity and their exciting fourth full-length release “Sorrows”. Featuring a bare-bones style that flavors traditional elements over the current over-the-top and extremely bombastic stuff, the band delivers over 45 minutes of old-school high-octane music. Recommended for fans of older Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica, this release is superbly crafted and incredibly catchy.

After the traditional instrumental intro, the band quickly sets a very energetic pace with “Graced or Damned”. While there are some atmospheric keyboards, the band’s guitar-drum-bass guitar code is what makes this track standout, with their playful interplay alongside Anders Sköld’s charismatic vocals. Like a blast from the past, “Back in to the Dark”, reminded us of early Stratovarius thanks to the lush guitar leads paired with a hypnotic bass guitar line and dreamy vocal harmonies.

Both “Blinded Eyes Will See”, and the epic “Where our Memories Used to Grow” deliver waves of catchy riffs, and soaring vocal melodies. We particularly enjoy when the tempo picks up and the lead guitar wizardry commences, like around the two minute mark of the latter track. For those looking for blistering pieces with DragonForce-esque guitar acrobatics, look no further and check out “Free Again”, our favorite track in this release.

Closing strong with the epic “Center of the Storm” and the melancholic “Fear of Being Alive”, Veonity rounds up a very diverse and engaging release. For the fans of the genre, “Sorrows” offers great musicianship and creativity, while delivering memorable and highly enjoyable songs. If you like the intensity and playfulness of bands like Sonata Arctica and the technical chops of outfits like Dragon Force, be sure to check out this relatively new band.

Label: Scarlet Records

Release: August 21st, 2020

Genre: Power Metal

Country: Sweden