UMUR "Dominion" is the second full-length studio album by US power metal act Kamelot. The album was released through Noise Records in April 1997. It´s the successor to "Eternity" from 1995 and features the exact same quintet lineup who recorded the predecessor. It would however be the last album to feature lead vocalist Mark Vanderbilt and drummer/founding member Richard Warner.

Stylistically the material on "Dominion" is very similar to the power metal sound of "Eternity (1995)", which actually isn´t that odd as some of the material was written in the early 90s along with the material featured on the predecessor. The Queensrÿche influence is still pretty strong (especially in some of the vocal parts), and at this point Kamelot weren´t the most unique sounding act on the scene. The album also features influences from European power metal and from traditional heavy metal. There are for example a couple of galloping rhythm sections, which remind me of Iron Maiden. Again not the most unique stylistic element. They are however skilled performers and the songwriting is also of a relatively high quality. I write relatively, because overall the quality and memorability of the songwriting are slightly lower here than on "Eternity (1995)", which is a bit unfortunate considering that "Dominion" is a sophomore release, where an artist typically aims at defending won territory and also claim new land.

I´m not sure new land was conquered with "Dominion", and as the sound production is also slightly less powerful and well sounding than the sound production on "Eternity (1995)", it´s hard not to see "Dominion" as a step down in quality compared to the preceding album. The songwriting is consistent enough, but there aren´t many highlights to mention from "Dominion". Hard-pressed I´d probably mention "Birth of a Hero" as one of the standout tracks. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

martindavey87 Released in 2003, ‘Epica’ is the sixth studio album by symphonic power metal band Kamelot. It follows very closely to its predecessor, 2001’s ‘Karma’, with more focus on symphonic elements and orchestrations, as well as a stronger sense of melody and more polished song-writing, stepping away more and more from the traditional power metal style of their early albums, and into something a lot more epic and grandiose.

With a similar sound and production as before, ‘Epica’ sounds as rich and lavish as ‘Karma’. The musicianship is tight, with everyone performing to a high standard, and in particular, praise goes to vocalist Roy Khan for his powerful and emotional performances.

With highlights including ‘The Edge of Paradise’, ‘Center of the Universe’, ‘Lost and Damned’, ‘A Feast For the Vain’ and the beautiful ‘Wander’, there’s an abundance of great tracks here, and if you liked ‘Karma’, there’s no reason you won’t like this. And ultimately, this will lead to the next album, because if you like the direction Kamelot are heading in here, then you’ll certainly love what’s to come…

UMUR "Eternity" is the debut full-length studio album by US power metal act Kamelot. The album was released through Noise Records in August 1995. Kamelot was formed in 1991 and released a couple of demos before being signed for the release of "Eternity".

Stylistically the material on "Eternity" is melodic US power metal with both traditional heavy metal- and semi-progressive metal leanings. There are couple of Euro power metal elements in the music too, but on this album I´d put Kamelot in the melodic US power metal camp. Lead vocalist Mark Vanderbilt has a very strong voice and a commanding delivery and he sometimes sounds a lot like Geoff Tate (Queensrÿche) and to a lesser degree like Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden). Kamelot are a very well playing act on all posts though, and you´ll be treated to both a powerful playing rhythm section, tasteful use of keyboards, and the relatively hard-edged (for the genre) and melodic guitar riffs and leads by Thomas Youngblood.

The tracks are well written, epic, melodic and memorable, but still heavy and powerful, and the band generally strike a great balance between the raw and the melodic on the album. "Eternity" also features a powerful and detailed sound production, which suits the material perfectly and upon conclusion it´s a high quality debut album by Kamelot and a promising start to the band´s career. They haven´t invented the wheel or anything like that, but it´s a solid release and especially fans of early 80s Queensrÿche are recommended giving this album a listen. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

Necrotica As someone who grew up with classical piano training, I can’t overestimate how much that very genre influenced me in my upbringing. Even when I entered more aggressive styles of music such as metal, I often gravitated more towards progressive metal because of the long complex arrangements and overblown suites. Call it being pretentious if you’d like (it kinda was), but bands like Symphony X, Dream Theater, and Vanden Plas were a major influence on my development as a musician for those very reasons. But the problem with many of those bands is that they often lacked the more emotional side in favor of that complexity and technical skill (especially post-2000s Dream Theater, if we’re referring to the bands above). I was always looking for a group that balanced both the technical and emotional sides more equally, one that could be heard both holistically and in-depth.

Then Kamelot came along.

While Epica was an amazing leap forward for the band in its own right, The Black Halo is a different story altogether. Mixing elements of progressive metal, power metal, symphonic metal, and opera, the album is a bombastic declaration that Kamelot was willing to take the metal world by storm. But the thing that instantly makes it stand out is that the record’s story - a continuation of the Heinrich Faust story started in Epica - is told in a way that never seems over-the-top or cheesy. Vocalist Roy Khan (four albums in his tenure by this point) studied opera singing for three years, and it shows in his time with the band. His voice is consistently gripping and simply drips with emotion, whether he’s letting out intense wails or performing at a low whisper. The instrumental passages that compliment his vocal work, are also beautifully laid out for the listener, blending technical riffing with a dark and even gothic atmosphere.

It’s refreshing to see that The Black Halo knows when to end its songs too, opting out of the oft-used progressive metal approach of throwing in bloated epics just for the sake of it. The only track here that’s relatively long, “Memento Mori,” actually deserves the runtime because of the phenomenal piano intro and intense symphonic buildup into the meat of the song. The shorter songs - particularly “Soul Society,” “When the Lights Are Down,” and “This Pain” - are great examples of displaying the band’s incredibly tight songwriting and exploring their more aggressive dynamics. Thomas Youngblood’s guitar presence runs deep through the record, primarily in his intricate and nimble riffing over the solid rhythm section. But he’s often tempered by both Miro’s piano work and Roy Khan’s vocals, which brings a neat sense of balance to the record. This is best heard in “Moonlight,” where we hear a one-note riff that practically resembles a breakdown, until it makes way for the gorgeous piano verses and some subtle hi-hats in the background. It’s a fantastic contrast, to say the least.

But that’s what makes this album so great: contrast. Just as the album’s story is brimming with so many different emotions and moods, the band’s methods of conveying them are just as varied. Granted, a good chunk of this album is pretty melancholic and gothic in tone, but the diversity of the songwriting and instrumental work are great nonetheless. Just listen to the opener “March of Mephisto”; as the name implies, this is a downright stately and thunderous metal anthem that even features the legendary black metal singer Shagrath (Dimmu Borgir) on guest vocals to give the chorus a bit more grit. But it immediately transitions into the power metal majesty of the fast-paced “When the Lights Go Down” and that’s when you know the record won’t be one-note, something that’s solidified by the depressing power ballad that follows, “The Haunting.” But when it comes to the band’s softer side, I highly recommend “Abandoned,” quite possibly one of the most tragic and beautiful piano ballads in rock music. Khan’s vocals are so passionate and heartbreaking that the song simply becomes entrancing, only helped by Mary Youngblood’s guest vocals and the classical piano arrangement that anchors it all.

If Karma and Epica were high artistic achievements for Kamelot, The Black Halo is the album that represented them at their absolute peak. In fact, I’d argue that this is the best power metal album ever made, as well as one of the top five progressive metal albums ever made. The way it pours its emotions out to the listener while maintaining its composure and vicious instrumental prowess is fucking stunning. It’s gothic, it’s dark, it’s atmospheric, and the band members certainly knew how to convey those traits at the best of their abilities while retaining the qualities that can make progressive metal so enjoyable. I can’t say it enough: this is metal at its best.

martindavey87 ‘The Expedition’, released in 2000, is a live album by power metal band Kamelot. It follows their forth studio album and rather than being one specific concert, features highlights from their tour of the same year, supporting power metal peers Stratovarius.

The band perform exceptionally, especially vocalist Roy Khan who can really belt out the high notes, and there’s no doubting the energy of the music or the enthusiasm of the musicians, especially as there’s a palpable chemistry between everyone involved. However, now the down side... I find Kamelot’s first four albums range from okay to good, and while the songs here are some of the best of the bands earlier days, I’d still prefer to listen to their later material, which, conveniently, starts to really pick up with their next studio album.

But for what it’s worth, this is still a decent enough release. The sound is spot on, giving everyone space to shine and stand out without drowning anyone else out. There are some cringe-inducing moments too, such as Roy Khan shouting “let’s tear this place apart” between songs! I love his voice, and his energy is infectious, but this isn’t the kind of music to mosh to.

Thankfully there’s only eight live tracks, keeping the album fairly short and sweet, as there’s then three new studio tracks included at the end, and this is where you really get your money’s worth. ‘One Day’ is a nice enough ballad, but the key highlight for me is the rerecording of ‘We Are Not Separate’ from the bands debut album. With a much updated and richer sound, improved vocals and arrangements, this song is a true gem in Kamelot’s discography and one of their finest works.

For that alone, this album is a great addition to any Kamelot fans collection, and at least worth checking out once by any casual listeners.