Entering Polaris is a band from Belgium. The band consists of Tom Tas (electric, acoustic and bass guitar) and Vincent van Kerckhove (drums). Guest musicians are Gregg Rossetti saxophone solo on coda of Flightless, Joris Van Daele shred solo on Paradise Reclaimed and Dario Frodo middle guitar solo on part 4 of The Long Run. The following singers take part of the album: Bjorn Strid (Soilwork), Thomas Vikstrom (Therion), Georg Neuhauser (Serenity), Fabio Lione (Angra and Rhapsody), Arno Menses (Sieges Even, Subsignal), Lance King (Balance Of Power, ex-Pyramaze), Henrik Fevre (Anubis Gate), Audrey Dandevill (Irradiance) and Sindre Nedland (In Vain). If you can arrange all these singers, the expectations rise! The band comes from a different vessel than we are used to on this site. This music can be categorized as powermetal and metal. What strikes me after several listens is that the music is very much built around the guest singers, and I think that is the biggest downside of the album because now it lacks identity. Another point of criticism for me is that a lot of songs fade away instead of an original ending. I also get the impression that many passages do not belong in the songs because there are now too many styles in the songs that do not fit together. Understand me well, I really like new and different things, but on this album it is too much to compare apples and pears. Another time, I miss identity. 'Is there nothing that is all right on the album?', I hear you asking. Yes there is, the guys do understand their instruments, the rhythm section is great and Tom can give us beautiful guitar solos but I do miss direction. Particularly unfortunate that if you know how to tie such good singers to your album, you cannot get the most out of it. As far as I am concerned, you can leave this album aside, many other beautiful records came out recently. **+ Michel Stolk (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
