adg211288 I've got the impression that the symphonic metal genre may have stagnated. Not because there aren't artists out there that are pushing the genre forward, because there are, notably Epica, but because most symphonic metal bands seem content to follow the same formula and lack any real identity of their own. One band that stood out when I first heard them with their second album The Wanderer (2012) was Spanish act Diabulus in Musica. While the album wasn't on a level with the best works of other symphonic metal bands and some comparison to Epica was valid, it stood out as one of the more varied symphonic metal releases from a newer act to the scene. It had gothic and power metal influences as is typical for this kind of band, but also influences from folk music and went beyond the usual beauty and the beast vocal approach to have a few tracks that were more like actual death metal. The band still seemed willing to try to push the boat out with their next album Argia (2014), though the amount of other elements was noticeably smaller and I personally didn't find the album to be as good.

Dirge for the Archons (2016) is their fourth album. As is typical for this kind of release, we have to get a minute's worth of intro track Battle of Atlantis out the way before things get going proper. Earthly Illusions then quickly bursts into life, showcasing heavy and speedy guitars alongside a powerful symphonic element. Lead vocalist Zuberoa Aznárez has a great voice for the style. In fact Dirge for the Archons kicks off just as well as any of the best Epica albums do. However the further we get into the album's thirteen tracks the clearer it becomes that once again a new release from Diabulus in Musica features less variation on their ideas than their previous offering did.

That sounds like a bad thing on paper and it is to a degree, but it's also what makes Dirge for the Archons comes across as a more consistent symphonic metal release than the preceding Argia, where I felt that not every track worked as well as it could have. Here Diabulus in Musica feel as if they are playing things safe and to their strengths. It's a better album because of that and they do offer some variation still. Every now and then a symphonic power metal part will burst forth. Sometimes there are death growls used here and there such as in Marble Embrace and The River of Loss. The track Hiding From You features clean male vocals duetting with Zuberoa Aznáre. Bane and Zauria feature a small portion of the folk elements I've heard on previous albums. But style wise this album is basically just symphonic metal with a bit of power metal, the kind of thing that I've heard bands such as Sleeping Romance, Midnight Eternal and (later) Edenbridge play.

My only real issue with the quality of its songs though is that when they do turn to growls, which are performed by keyboardist Gorka Elso, they don't seem as strong as they did on either of the two previous albums, especially during their first use on Marble Embrace. Fortunately compared to other bands in this genre that mix female vocals and death growls Diabulus in Musica allow their female lead to shine much more often, so it's not a major detraction to my enjoyment of the release. And the songs in general are very good. I tend to prefer the band in their faster, power metal influenced moments like Earthly Illusions, but other highlights include the slightly circus sounding Ring Around Dark Fairies' Carousel, while A Speck in the Universe is actually quite a nice semi-soft ballad, though Bane eclipses it for me. I like those folk sounds and Zuberoa Aznáre sounds especially great on it. Two or more softer songs on a metal album is not something I normally appreciate, but the band did two good ones here. I think that's an achievement all on its own.

Dirge for the Archons comes across as a typical sounding symphonic metal album based on current standards and it would be nice if Diabulus in Musica could work their way towards more of their own identity. The bottom line with this album though is that it's one of the better typical symphonic metal albums I've heard and in terms of songwriting it's actually the strongest bunch of songs I've heard from the band so far. I'd probably be even more into the album than I already am if the latest release from Epica wasn't still so fresh.