ARTLANTICA — Across The Seven Seas (review)

ARTLANTICA — Across The Seven Seas album cover

Album · 2013 · Power Metal

4/5 · 2013-05-30
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Across The Seven Seas (2013) is the debut full-length album by multi-national power metal act Artlantica. The band is made up of musicians with backgrounds in the bands Artension and Angel of Eden and revolves around three core musicians; John West (vocals), Roger Staffelbach (guitars) and Mistheria (keyboards). The drums on the album are shared by John Macaluso (HolyHell, Mastercastle et al) and Dani Löble (Helloween) while the bass is performed by none other than Steve Digiorgio (Sadus, Soen, Charred Walls of the Damned et al). Finally additional guitars are performed by Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra). Across the Seven Seas boasts quite the all star line-up in other words.

The first thing that strikes me about the album though is not the music itself, but rather the lyrics to the opening song, 2012. Sorry guys but I think you’re releasing your album a tad late to have jumped on that particular bandwagon. The whole 2012 doomsday thing was, especially seeing that we’re still here, a complete media farce used to make money and was overdone well before December 21st 2012, that having a song about it released after the non-event seems like a bit of milking the cow for all its worth. It’s a nice enough song though, nothing too remarkable and certainly not an album highlight, but it does let the listener know what sort of thing to expect from Across the Seven Seas, that is more or less a by the book melodic power metal sound, with occasional ventures into progressive power metal territory, and some symphonic backings. That’s okay though, because not only does Artlantica utilise enough of the progressive and symphonic elements to continually spice up their music, but they’ve also got a really strong power metal sound going to begin with. Especially vocalist John West is really quite stunning with his vocal performance; so full of energy I’m sure he’ll win just about anyone over.

Across the Seven Seas is a solid debut effort from the band, with some songs standing out over others. Demon in my Mind is one I want to mention especially for the way it welds together progressive instrumental passages and a catchy power metal anthem, of which they have a few of including Devout and Fight for the Light. The only real downer for me is the piano led ballad Ode to My Angel. Throughout the rest of the album Artlantica have a really great energy of the sort that only a power metal act worth their salt has, but as with many albums before Across the Seven Seas all that energy evaporates when the ballad hits. Fortunately the song also represents a turning point for the album, as the first half had, mostly due to this song, been inconsistent, whereas as soon as Ode to My Angel is over the album really steps things up a gear.

On the instrumental Return of the Pharaoh Part 3 (a follow up to the pair of songs by Angel of Eden) the band goes all out progressive metal, showcasing what is perhaps the biggest issue with Across the Seven Seas, there’s just not enough progressive elements in the album, and Artlantica certainly show that this is where their real strengths lie. They’ve still great with the more traditionally styled power metal songs but Across the Seven Seas does show them to be better at both the progressive power metal and the more traditional progressive metal heard on Return of the Pharaoh Part 3. There are creative flairs to be found across the ten tracks, but rather than satisfying it just leaves me craving more, and not in the good way that would keep me listening to the album many times over.

Across the Seven Seas is a great debut release, there’s no denying that, but it is one I think Artlantica has every chance of improving on so long as the project doesn’t go the same way as Angel of Eden with only their one album released since 2007. A great album tier rating is deserved and if that ballad hadn’t stalled the album it would have been an exceptional grade.

84/100

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/artlantica-across-the-seven-seas-t2986.html)