We’ve got a first timer you guys! The French band Eltharia has asked us through our contact form if we could review their new album and who are we to deny each of us such a great chance. After quite a long time and some line-up changes, Eltharia finally release their second record: ‘Innocent’. Let’s see what they have in store for us!
Eltharia from left to right: Laure Girard (keyboards), Vincent Trauttmann (bass), Pierre Carabalona (vocals), Jean-Yves Girard (guitars) and Benjamin Nicolino (guitars, drums)
‘Innocent’ follows a quite clear story line straight from opener ‘Third World War’. It immediately puts you in the right mood with some amazing high pitched vocals by Pierre Carabalona. Eltharia plays a solid mix of two genres, on the one hand they play progressive music, combined with some very clear power metal elements.
One thing that catches your attention straight away is the way the album is mixed. On the opening track the vocals seem to be a little bit pushed back in the mix, which makes them sound overwhelmed by all the other instruments. Also, the vocals seem to have some kind of effect on them which really sounds good at times, but sometimes also makes things a bit stranger.
A track that has now haunted me for a couple of days is ‘Innocent’, the title track. It’s got a terribly catchy and well executed refrain that you keep singing it in your head. The vocals are spot on while the keyboards excel over heavy guitar riffs. My personal highlight of the album, already on track number three.
Somewhat annoying is the way some words are stretched out or pushed together to fit the music. That is exactly why it is so hard to write good lyrics to a song. Eltharia have a clear message they want to tell, but it just doesn’t fit the tracks at all times. It’s a thing that has to change, because it sounds a bit unprofessional and some words just stop making sense.
Most of the music is very enjoyable. Laure Girard’s keyboards are ever present, but never overpowering. Along the album there are some very aggressive tracks, ‘Black Hole’, for example, which has raw vocals and even grunts to match their regular lead vocals. ‘Blood Pollution’ is another of those fast paced and slightly aggressive songs, but all very well played.
Some of the solo moments on the album are quite cliche, though. We have heard a lot of power metal solo’s from bands like Primal Fear, Helloween and many more. Some of Jean-Yves Girard’s guitar solos are quite boring and predictable. On ‘Faster Than The Reaper’ for example is a solo that could have easily been on a Primal Fear album.
Most of the album is very enjoyable and well executed. Apart from the manipulated vocals to match the music and the somewhat predictable solo moments there are quite a few interesting parts on the record. With the amazing title track as a brilliant highlight, these guys could start to be matched with the songwriting of Queensrÿche. A huge compliment to Eltharia, ‘Innocent’ deserves to be heard!
8,5
Released: 25 November 2015
Record-label: Independent
Website: www.eltharia.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Eltharia
Tracklist:
- Third World War
- Spite Still Remains
- Innocent
- My Own Justice
- Would I Remember You
- Blood Pollution
- The Dark Passenger
- Faster Than The Reaper
- Black Hole
- Sweet Madness
- Keys Of Underworld
