Kamelot's 'The Awakening' - Album Review

Until recently, it had been a while since we last heard anything new from the American power/symphonic metal band Kamelot. The five-piece have been pretty prolific over the years, but when their thirteenth studio album The Awakening was released last month it broke a five-year silence. I am not sure what lead to the longest gap between albums in the band's career, with The Shadow Theory (which I reviewed here) dropping in 2018, but I do wonder if they wanted to somewhat re-group and take stock following the somewhat muted overall response which The Shadow Theory received. The COVID-19 pandemic cannot have helped, but I do think that there may have been a bit of soul-searching undertaken. The Shadow Theory is a decent album but, for me, it was the band's first in a long time that felt like a bit of a disappointment. I listened to it a lot during 2018, but I have not revisited it too often since - nor did it make the cut for my 2018 Albums of the Year list. The album's strongest moments are pure Kamelot brilliance, but there are also a few songs which have not stuck with me at all. It felt like an album by a band who were desperate to diversify and, as such, some of Kamelot's trademark sound was eschewed for a heavier, somewhat more industrial feel that focused a lot on mechanical synths and grinding guitar riffs. It still felt like a Kamelot album, but the band's usual flamboyance and bombast was toned down to allow for a darker atmosphere to shine. Such a sound had been teased on 2015's Haven (which I also reviewed here), but was taken much further on The Shadow Theory. I preferred the overall balance on Haven, which felt like a band branching out after re-establishing their core sound with current frontman Tommy Karevik on 2012's Silverthorn, with The Shadow Theory instead losing some of the Kamelot magic in an attempt to branch out further. The thing is, though, that Kamelot had already done all-encompassing darkness more successfully previously. 2010's Poetry for the Poisoned, which has become the band's forgotten album due to their previous frontman Roy Khan leaving shortly after its release meaning that it was never toured properly, did darkness and a mournful atmosphere much more successfully than The Shadow Theory. Much of this was likely down to Khan's state of mind at the time, but the album's heaviness and depressing air makes it a catalogue highlight for me. The Shadow Theory fell somewhat flat in comparison, so in a way I am glad that the band took some to time to decide in which direction they wanted to move forward. As one listen to The Awakening showed, then, the direction of travel chosen was one back to a sound closer to one found on Silverthorn. The Awakening ups the bombast, and much of the overt darkness of The Shadow Theory has been stripped away. Kamelot have always had a dark edge to them, which remains, but The Awakening feels much more upbeat - with a strong focus on hooks and lush orchestrations throughout. Karevik soars vocally, bringing more of 'himself' to the melodies than he sometimes has done with Kamelot in the past, whilst Thomas Youngblood has written a lot of excellent, heroic guitar melodies which often recall the Kamelot of the mid-2000s. It is an album that hits from the off, and it is all the better for it. It is also the band's first album with drummer Alex Landenburg (Annihilator; Axxis; Luca Turilli's Rhapsody; Cyhra) - although he has been playing with Kamelot since almost the start of The Shadow Theory tour, where he replaced Johan Nunez due to injury.

As is often the case with Kamelot's albums, as well as power/symphonic metal albums more broadly, the album opens with an instrumental scene-setter. The imaginatively-titled Overture (Intro) is full of all the symphonic drama and bombastic which would be expected from the band - with Oliver Palotai's gentle piano melodies often shining through the dancing strings. Many of these melodies later form the basis of The Great Divide, which the intro segues into following a drum barrage from Landenburg. The album's more upbeat desires are apparent from the off, and the piece is one that grabs hold immediately. Landenburg's drumming is relentless and fast-paced, whilst Youngblood's guitar playing mixes crunching riffing, setting a rhythmic groove, and soaring leads - the latter shining particularly during the pre-chorus and chorus. Youngblood's performance throughout this album is his most expressive for a while. In recent years he has been more riffy, but those old-school Kamelot guitar melodies return in a big way here - and his first guitar solo is a trademark mix of shredded sections and well-phrased melodies. This album is a real melodic feast, partly due to Youngblood, but Karevik of course does his bit, too. The song's chorus really soars, with some slightly unconventional melodic choices paying off, whilst a more low-key bridge section, focused around Palotai's piano melodies, showcases Karevik's more emotional side. This up-tempo feel continues on throughout Eventide, which has a joyous feel that really harks back to some of the more power metal moments found on albums like 2003's Epica. There are darker moments, though, with a recurring mid-paced riff-led section which recalls the dramatic grooves of March of Mephisto, but generally the song soars. The chorus is another hook-laden moment, whilst the verses feel lush thanks to layers of strings. It is the sort of song that revels in its larger sound - and each part feels like it has been pushed to the max. Even Youngblood's guitar solo, which grows from a somewhat tortured-sounding beginning, feels somewhat extra - with a final reprise of that thespian chorus later exploding from another piano-led bridge. Lead single One More Flag in the Ground follows, and the song takes on a more anthemic feel - slowing the pace somewhat and going for a mid-paced stomp. Sean Tibbetts' bass playing drives everything, whilst Landenburg's staccato drumming creates a spiky rhythm. There are definitely vibes of the band's previous album here, but with a more upbeat overall feel seeping through the industrial touches and reliance on synths. Youngblood's guitars are darker-sounding here, but the crunch is off-set nicely by Karevik's poppy chorus vocal - which sounds more like something he would typically reserve for Seventh Wonder. The use of synths and some occasional electronic drum sounds recall bands like Amaranthe somewhat - but the song is not too poppy, instead revelling in its riff-led sound which suits its status as the album's fist-pumping anthem. Youngblood's shredded closing solo sees him break out of the song's rhythmic constraints successfully, too, adding a fun coda on what is, overall, a more curated experience.

Those who like Kamelot at their most dramatic and bombastic will love Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem), which turns the clock back somewhat - recalling the later years of Khan's tenure in the band. It has been hinted by the band that the song is a sequel to the title track of 2007's Ghost Opera, and there are certainly comparisons that can be drawn between the two. Youngblood's soaring opening guitar lead is reminiscent of the 2007 classic, whilst the more symphonic sound is again similar to Ghost Opera. Palotai's orchestrations dominate throughout, whilst the heaviness is whipped up by a relentless rhythm section. Karevik slips back into some of his more overt Khan-isms during the dark verses, which allow his deeper delivery to shine - whilst the fast-paced chorus showcases him at his most natural, with the dancing strings filling the speakers. It is also the first of two songs here to feature the talents of cellist Tina Guo - who adds to the overall string arrangement throughout, before adding a brief solo part-way through. She is also present on Midsummer's Eve, which slows the pace down and presents the album's first ballad. Kamelot have generally excelled at ballads, but this is likely my favourite of their offerings for a while. There are folky overtones throughout, with strings providing an early melodic hook, whilst acoustic guitars and piano are generally the lead instruments throughout. The verses are very stripped-back, with Karevik crooning atop Palotai's rolling piano melodies, whilst the chorus is larger - seeing acoustic guitars and strings added to the mix. Despite this, though, the stars of the piece are Karevik and Palotai. Palotai's classically-trained piano melodies are a delight throughout, and Karevik's emotional delivery compliments them perfectly - and he demonstrates why he is one of the genre's best singers here. Guo's folky additions, along with Florian Janoske's violin, and the acoustic guitars give the song its identity, though, and it is a great moment of respite following the opening bombast. Such bombast immediately returns via Bloodmoon, though, and the mid-paced power metal anthem is another that really turns the clock back. Youngblood shines here, after taking a bit of a back seat during the ballad, with his opening guitar lead immediately entrenching the classic Kamelot sound on the piece. The strings and keyboards fill the gaps, but the guitar leads the charge here - as should be the case when it comes to Kamelot. Most of the songs here are full of hooks, and this is one of the songs that really jumped out to me on first listen. Youngblood's guitars constantly add drama, whilst Karevik delivers another stunning vocal throughout - particularly during the smooth, string-filled chorus. Anthemic instrumental and wordless vocal sections crop up occasionally to add a surprising twist - and the song is a real album highlight for me as a result.

NightSky ups the pace somewhat, and goes for a more rhythm approach. Youngblood's guitars are crunchier here, leaving the previous song's leads behind, and the way that they lock in with Landenburg's double bass drums and Tibbetts' bassline creates a hypnotic groove. The verses are packed with this groove, Karevik singing in the gaps between the mechanical riffing, whilst the chorus takes a surprisingly smooth approach - with soaring strings and delicate piano motifs changing tack. The transition feels a bit jarring at first, but over repeated listens the song has bedded in with me. It is one of the album's weaker moments in my opinion, but there is still a lot to love here - with the chorus sounding delightfully gothic, whilst Youngblood's guitar solo is more shred-orientated. The Looking Glass maintains a similar pace, but goes for a more overtly-melodic sound more akin to Bloodmoon. It is another stand-out track for me, and the two songs share a similar overall vibe. Instead of Youngblood's guitars providing the main melodic hook, though, this song belongs to Palotai. Despite the heavy riffing throughout, his piano provides the main melody to latch onto early on - with this chiming motif later forming the basis of the chorus. There are lots of great choruses on this album, but The Looking Glass' is one of the best. Karevik sounds great throughout it, and it sounds like he really pushed himself vocally, too. He is known for the occasional high note, but the high notes here are different from his usual approach - and they come somewhat out of the blue, adding a pleasant surprise to what is an already excellent melodic feast. The instrumental mid-section is great, too, with Youngblood and Palotai trading guitar and keyboard solos in a very old-school power metal manner. The two players have always traded licks well with each other, and this instrumental section is one of the album's best as a result of the back-and-forth approach taken. New Babylon then takes a bit of a different path, and features the vocal talents of once-regular collaborator Simone Simons (Epica) and newcomer Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum). Following the smoother previous song, New Babylon goes for a stomping vibe throughout - with a more overtly-symphonic metal approach. Funnily enough, given Simone's presence, the chorus has a bit of an Epica feel - but it also recalls the aforementioned March of Mephisto somewhat, as well as other Kamelot stompers such as Veritas. Karevik dominates vocally, but Simons and Bonny weave their voices around his - with the chorus sounding huge thanks to the big vocal arrangement, as well as the staccato groove created throughout. There are some faster-paced sections, too, and Youngblood occasionally lets rip with a snappy riff - whilst another guitar/keyboard duel adds to the song's rollocking nature. Bonny even adds some harsh vocals to the piece, her growls creating a dark-sounding bridge - upping the heaviness before a final reprise of the stomping chorus.

The album's second ballad Willow follows, and the piano-led piece feels more typical of Kamelot's style than the folkier Midsummer's Eve. Despite the piano dominating early on, there is much more of a typical string presence here, too. The song is much more gothic-sounding, and some of the band's darkness shines through here. This is apparent in how the song grows as it moves along. Midsummer's Eve was essentially all acoustic, but Willow grows in stature. The rest of the band soon join the fray, adding a real crunch to the slower, string-led grooves - whilst a short Youngblood solo adds to the overall emotional pull of the song. I personally prefer Midsummer's Eve due to it taking a different path, but Willow acts as a nice calm-before-the-storm of album's closing moments - despite the fact that the band have done this type of ballad more successfully in the past. Left to close out the album is My Pantheon (Forevermore), a more progressive-feeling piece that revels in darkness. This has been Kamelot's typical approach in recent years - and there are shades of Revolution and The Proud and the Broken in style here. The song still very much sounds like Kamelot, but it is perhaps less symphonic - instead going for a heavier feel. Youngblood's guitar tone is sharper here, whilst Karevik's vocal delivery feels more gothic - although a few longer higher-pitched screams add a slight 1980s edge to parts of the track. The heaviness is capped off by another harsh vocal-led section, this time courtesy of producer Sascha Paeth, and the song generally barrels along at a steady pace thanks to the multitude of riffs and a strong bass presence. The chorus remains as hooky as would be expected, though, and Youngblood shines with one last solo - before the song transitions into the closing piece Ephemera (Outro). As such, the album ends as it started - with strings and Palotai's piano. As is often the case with pieces such as this, Ephemera (Outro) feels like the credits rolling on the excellence of what came before. I do like it when Kamelot albums end on such a lull, although there is still plenty of drama thanks to the string arrangement - but it is Palotai's piano that steals the show here. It helps to reflect on the album as a whole, and, for me anyway, The Awakening is a return to form. I do like The Shadow Theory despite its flaws, but The Awakening truly feels like Kamelot - and they have still found room for the occasional experimental moment and flourish. Fans of the band will find plenty to love here, and the few nods to the band's old-school sound will excite those who have followed Kamelot for a while. I am certainly going to be getting a lot more out of this album over the coming months, but, as things stand, it is one of my favourite releases of 2023 so far.

The album was released on 17th March 2023 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for One More Flag in the Ground.