Viathyn - The peregrine way 3.5/5
Reviewed: 12-1-10
Tracklist:
1. Antebellum
2. Heathen arise
3. Sirenum scopuli
4. Through the orchard
5. The orade's prophecy
6. Blackened woods
7. The twilight haven
8. Frail titan
9. Canvas
10. Antique man
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'The peregrine way' is the self-released full-length debut from Viathyn, a band out of Canada. The CD's base style is typical melodic power metal, but with a folky side, and that's not all, as there are epic/symphonic moments and it's also progressive at times. Even though these many styles are present, the CD flows well and there aren't a tremendous amount of twists and turns. There's plenty of speed too, sure to please major power metal fans. I will say however, that the production feels a bit busy/messy occasionally, though it doesn't really affect the overall quality of the CD.
Instantly, this band brought several comparisons to mind (musically), and they are Wuthering Heights, Logar's Diary, Elvenking (early), Conorach, The Storyteller, Falconer (at their fastest), Isengard, Blind Guardian and Salamandra. Just like these bands, Viathyn offers up a good dose of folky (and terrific) melodies, which really create a memorable listen. There are some nice/slow acoustic guitar segments, but most of the CD is fast-paced and exciting.
Vocally, the band is fronted by Tomislav Crnkovic (who's also one of the guitarists, along with Jake Wright), and his clear voice reminds me a bit of Axenstar's Magnus Winterwild, though Magnus is superior at this point. Tomislav is a solid vocalist, for sure, but I don't consider him to be fantastic and it's truly the music (mainly the melodies) that make this CD as great as it is. In fact, much of the CD is instrumental, as sometimes 4 or 5 minutes will go by with Tomislav completely absent (besides his role as a guitarist). The songs are long too, with all of them ranging between 5 and 9 minutes, except for the short intro/instrumental "Antebellum" at the CD's beginning.
So what we end up with is an excellent debut musically, but I do wish the vocals were more in the "amazing" range. That said, it should definitely appeal to fans of the mentioned bands and I personally look forward to the band's future.
CLINT
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