The Dark Element's 'The Dark Element' - Album Review

After being unceremoniously dumped mid-tour by the Finnish symphonic metal giants Nightwish in 2012, Anette Olzon's musical life has been fairly quiet. Despite releasing her debut solo album Shine in 2014, an album which came and went without any real fanfare or publicity, it seemed that Olzon had largely retired from the music industry to lead more of a 'normal' life. It seems however that she could not stay away from music for too long, as last year it was announced that she had teamed up with guitarist and songwriter Jani Liimatainen (Sonata Arctica; Altaria; Cain's Offering) to record a new album of melodic metal songs for the Italian label Frontiers Records. While Olzon is the face and voice of this new project, which was revealed earlier this year to be called The Dark Element, it is Liimatainen that is the real brains here. Liimatainen has been a fixture in the melodic metal world for quite some time now, and is renowned as an excellent guitarist and songwriter. He was a key part of Sonata Arctica's early success and the band has never truly been the same after his departure in 2007. Since then he has found success on his own terms with his Cain's Offering albums, and his songwriting contributions can also be heard on the most recent couple of Stratovarius albums where he has struck up a great writing partnership with Timo Kotipelto. Liimatainen has written the entirety of The Dark Element's new self-titled debut album, which was released last month, and those familiar with his previous work will certainly recognise his writing style here instantly. He also handles all of the album's guitar, along with most of the keyboards and some backing vocals. Joining Olzon and Liimatainen in this new venture are bassist Jonas Kuhlberg (Paul Di'Anno; Cain's Offering; One Desire) and drummer Jani Hurula (Cain's Offering; Silent Voices). With three of the people who were responsible for Cain's Offering's well-received 2015 offering Stormcrow, it is unsurprising that the songs contained within The Dark Element are of the symphonic power metal variety. While Liimatainen is used to writing for male voices, his style is perfect for Olzon. Also unsurprising is the Nightwish influences that can be found here. Olzon proved to be a diverse vocalist during her time with that band, and that has certainly been brought forward to this album. There are some songs here which share similarities with her former band, especially with the shorter, poppier songs that she was a part of. The Dark Element is not a particularly grand or progressive album, with most of the songs being fairly short, but each is packed full of great melodies - both from the vocals and from Liimatainen's instruments - that are sure to get lodged in many a brain. In a year which has not been blessed with a wealth of great new power metal albums, this is one that goes some way in addressing that balance.

The album's title track starts things off in style with some dark synths before exploding with a mid-paced grinding riff that sets the mood for the entire song. While portions of the verses are fairly laid back, with minimal guitar work and prominent synths, the majority of the song is heavier with Hurula's booming drumming really driving everything along. Despite this constant groove, the song is still highly melodic, with a stand out chorus that makes the most of Olzon's anthemic vocal melodies and the call-to-arms style that she brought to Nightwish. Liimatainen demonstrates why he is one of the best guitarists in power metal too with a guitar solo that starts off slow and atmospheric, before accelerating towards a shredded conclusion. Lead single My Sweet Mystery is very close to the type of music Nightwish put out while Olzon fronted them, and comparisons can be drawn between this song and the Nightwish single Amaranth. The mix of heavy, orchestral-driven guitar riffing and poppy vocal melodies is present here, and there are plenty of sparkly keyboard motifs that crop up throughout to really give the song that symphonic edge. Olzon's voice floats through the lighthearted verses, and she commands the chorus in her distinct style as the guitars crunch away beneath her. Fans of Nightwish's Dark Passion Play album will find a lot to like with this song, and it was a wise choice for the first single. After two fairly immediate rockers, Last Good Day takes a slightly more atmospheric approach which shows the album's depth and shows off a gentler side of Olzon's voice. This is no ballad however, as the song still contains a sold chorus with plenty of power metal bombast, but much of the song focuses on orchestrations and synths, with the guitars mixed more into the background. Apart from Olzon's gorgeous vocals, it is Kuhlberg's bass that actually stands out the most during the verses. Often bassists are barely audible in symphonic metal bands, so it is great to see the instrumental play a prominent role here with a snaking melody that pins everything together. Here's to You is a more upbeat number, with a jaunty keyboard melody that drives the song's intro along before everything is stripped back for a sparser verse. This contrasts well with the explosive chorus, which sounds more like Delain than Nightwish, with a strutting vocal display and walls of electronics to make everything sparkle. Someone You Used to Know is a slower song, and opens out with some delicate piano melodies which are joined by Olzon's vocals and some simple strings. While Olzon is a great out-and-out rock singer, I have always felt that it is on the ballads that she truly excels. That thought is as good as proved during the song's chorus, which makes the most of her crystal clear delivery and ability to inject plenty of emotion into the lyrics. Dead to Me is another song that really channels the Dark Passion Play-era Nightwish DNA with a dramatic orchestral arrangement and a snaking guitar riff. As with many of the songs here, the verses are somewhat sparser but the rest of the song really rocks with plenty of powerful drumming and little guitar fills. While Liimatainen is a great guitarist, he does not often hammer that point home here with the guitars often forming part of the rhythm section and the keyboards/orchestrations providing the main melodic focus. This is a song that makes more of the riffs however, and it is great to hear his tricky little fills throughout.

Halo is one of my favourite songs here, and it really grabs hold from the opening moments with a massive synth riff drives everything and brings to mind the Swedish band Amaranthe at times, but with more weight. The best part about this song however is the chorus which, although extremely simple, is a real stadium-worthy piece. The vast majority of the songs on this album were made with melody in mind, and they seem begging to be played live. The Dark Element do have a few shows booked for next year and, while it is not yet clear whether this will become a full-time band for all involved, this song is sure to become a real focal point of the live set with the dance-able grooves hooky chorus. I Cannot Raise the Dead, despite the title, is more of a low-key number with plenty of floaty melodies and atmospheric synths. While not exactly the ballad, this is certainly not a heavy song and there are even touches of AOR here - think 1980s Heart - to pushes the melodies to the fore. Despite this, there is an excellent guitar solo from Liimatainen that brings the metal showmanship back to the song. While the song is mostly spacier, the solo is a real shred-fest that still fits in with everything else despite being quite different. The Ghost and the Reaper once again mine Olzon's Nightwish past with lots of playful keyboard melodies and an upbeat feel driven by Liimatainen's chugging guitar riffs. This is also one of the few songs on the album which does not let up on the energy front throughout. Unlike most of the other cuts here, the verses are quite guitar-heavy which gives the song a heavier feel despite the plentiful soaring melodies. This is why the song is another one of my real favourites here, and shows that Olzon can really do the heavier songs justice, something which she often faced criticism for during her time with Nightwish. Heaven of Your Heart is another piano-led ballad. Unsurprisingly, Olzon really sounds fantastic here, with her slightly poppy voice having the necessary sweetness required to carry the melodies. For much of the song, Olzon is solely accompanied by the piano which really exposes her vocal performance, and she more than stands up to the scrutiny. Strings are added throughout the song at certain points to add depth, but mostly this is a simple song that acts as a good contrast to the bombast that dominates this album and provides a little light amongst all the shade. After that little respite, the album's final number Only One Who Knows Me comes along to add one last bit of rock to proceedings. While not a particularly heavy piece, the mid-paced number possess a strong cinematic chorus that definitely feels like it knows it's closing out the album. The whole song has that feeling actually, with wider soundscapes throughout the piece with plenty of excellent keyboards and an emotional guitar solo that plays as the song fades out and the album comes to an end. Overall, The Dark Element is a strong start for this new collaboration between Olzon and Liimatainen. While it does rely heavily on the previous work of them both, playing to their strengths has helped to forge a very memorable album packed with melodic metal anthems. If this project is to become a more permanent arrangement it would be good to see the duo trying some new things, but for a debut album this hits hard and is one of the most enjoyable symphonic/power metal albums released this year.

The album was released on 10th November 2017 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for My Sweet Mystery.