Kamelot's 'Dark Asylum' - Album Review

Given how much new music I listen to each year, which is significantly more than I get the chance to review here, it can sometimes be easy to get blasé when it comes to new album releases. Most weeks see at least one new album of interest drop - and in choosing to review many of them, taking in the near-constant stream of new music can sometimes feel a bit like a second job. I have never made any money from this blog, and every album that is covered here I have paid for. I have never been sent anything to review, with the exception of releases by a couple of small-scale bands a number of years ago that I was somewhat friendly with, so this blog is 100% my own personal outlet for what interests me musically. With all that being said, it can sometimes be easy to lose sight of what an event a new album release can be. Even bands that I love can get lost in the shuffle sometimes, especially when four or five new albums drop on the same day, and it is quite rare that I treat a new album release as something of an event. There are a handful of my very favourite bands that do still receive such treatment, though. Mostly Autumn and Marillion are the obvious two, and given that both are currently working on new albums I hope to have that experience again soon, likely in 2027, but the US-based, multi-national power/symphonic metal act Kamelot are another. I had already started listening to both symphonic and power metal before checking out Kamelot, as I am pretty sure my love of Nightwish and Epica pre-dated my love for Kamelot, but they were likely the first band that I listened to that fused both sounds together - alongside that gothic melodrama that has always set Kamelot aside from most power metal bands. No other band truly sounds like Kamelot, and those that come close have likely done so deliberately. Serenity are the band that has likely come closest in the most authentic manner - but Kamelot remain in a league of their own, even if their sound has somewhat shifted over the years. I think that most would agree that they are no longer pushing the envelope of what their sound could be. though, instead settling back on a long-established core sound and a knack for writing great songs. There are still some minor shifts, with the band occasionally diving into heavier territories, but generally the Kamelot core sound is safe and sound - and their particular brand of melodic and lush bombast can be heard on their recently-released fourteenth studio album Dark Asylum. Following three years on from 2023's The Awakening (which I reviewed here), Dark Asylum continues on the more upbeat and overtly melodic approach of the previous album. The Awakening felt like something of a course correction, following the darker and more mechanical The Shadow Theory (which I reviewed here). Whilst I like The Shadow Theory, it is one of the band's weaker efforts overall in my opinion - and it lacked much of the heroic nature of Kamelot's core approach. The Awakening brought it back after a five year gap - and, if anything, Dark Asylum has doubled down. In terms of pure hooks and choruses, Dark Asylum may well be one of Kamelot's strongest releases. It does run out of steam somewhat towards the end, but the first three-quarters of the album contains some of the most overtly-memorable songwriting that the band have committed to tape. On the whole, though, that does come at the cost of the band's progressive flourishes. Most of the songs here are on the short side, with straight forward arrangements, so those who enjoy their knottier, layered numbers will not find much of that here. Those who love guitarist Thomas Youngblood's soaring lead melodies, keyboard player Oliver Palotai's sweeping orchestrations and flashy synth solos, and frontman Tommy Karevik's smooth, dynamic vocal melodies, though, will find a punchy Kamelot album that, more than ever, focuses on hooks.

It is also the band's first concept album since 2012's Silverthorn - although I am not 100% what Dark Asylum is about, aside from the fact the story seems to take place in RavenHill Asylum. An understanding of the concept is not required to enjoy this album, though, as the hooks do more than enough heavy lifting. As is typical, the album gets underway with a largely instrumental scene-setter in Sanctorium. There is some semi-whispered spoken word to kick things off, before swirling orchestrations see that classic Kamelot symphonic sound take hold. It soon segues nicely into lead single Ashen World, though, a song that really grabbed hold of me from the first time I heard it. As much as I liked the last album, I am not sure its opening song was one of its strongest cuts - but Ashen World is modern Kamelot at their best. Youngblood's soaring guitar lead is instantly memorable, whilst the bombastic, staccato stabs of the rhythm section get the blood pumping - before drummer Alex Landenburg lays into his double bass drums. As is often the case with Kamelot, the song is a mixture of pace and smoother moments - and once Karevik starts to sing the track is more mid-paced. The smooth verses feature vocal melodies that include a few subtle twists to keep things interesting - and Karevik continues to really impress. As was the case on the last album, his vocal melodies here are often brighter - seeing some more of the side of his voice that he used to use with Seventh Wonder. I love the smooth verses here, and the melodies really stick in the brain - before a heavier and faster chorus kicks in, with double bass drumming and urgent, anthemic vocals. Later verses are more bass-heavy, with bassist Sean Tibbets shining, but they are still somewhat smooth - with the contrast between them and the chorus a strong one. Ignacia Fernández (Decessus) later adds some growls to a bridge section, 'harmonising' somewhat with Karevik, continuing the band's trend of using an up-and-coming guest vocalist on each album - before a shredded guitar solo and a final chorus bring the song to a close. The album's title track follows, with the song slowing the pace somewhat and being more of a hard-hitting mid-paced number throughout. The song opens with some juddering guitar riffing, although the guitar and drum patterns morph to become a bit more off-kilter as the intro moves along. It is epic and memorable from the off, before the main verse here feels heavier - with more of a snappy rhythm guitar presence and some piano counter-melodies. There is just generally more of a toughness throughout, with later segments of the verses picking up the pace - whilst the chorus is smoother, with warm vocal melodies, plenty of orchestrations, and driving guitars. Despite this core sound remaining, there is a piano break, which includes some higher-pitched vocals before the second chorus - as well as another excellent bridge section. Both guitar and keyboard solos are included this time, with the song being another pretty instant highlight for me. Whilst not a pure ballad Sanctuary is slower and more deliberate, with more gothic overtones. Fernández adds some growls again here, whilst Clémentine Delauney (Whyzdom; Serenity; Visions of Atlantis; Exit Eden) also adds her voice to the song - duetting more traditionally with Karevik. The opening of the song, with its slower pace and gothic choirs, hits hard - whilst the verses are more piano-based, seeing the heaviness stripped away. Karevik sings the first verse, whilst Delauney takes the second - with the two joining forces for the chorus, whilst Fernández adds some growls here and there. The chorus is another moment here with subtle vocal twists that elevate the song above the norm - whilst the more deliberate pace and emotive vocal interplay make what could, in the wrong hands, be a bit of a dreary number another excellent cut.

Following the brief orchestral interlude Nocte Veritas, One Last Masquerade kicks in - with yet another guest vocalist in the form of Tobias Sammet (Edguy; Avantasia). The guest spots are largely frontloaded here, which is a bit strange, but they all add something positive to the album in my view - and Karevik and Sammet previously duetted on last year's excellent Here Be Dragons (which I reviewed here) by Avantasia. Even though Sammet has not had a hand in writing the song, he certainly could have - and if I had been told that the song was recorded during the Here Be Dragons sessions I would have believed it. Whilst the verses are murky and much more Kamelot-coded, the main opening riff really feels like something Sammet could have written (think Twisted Mind) - as could the chorus, which is less theatrical and gothic, instead more playful and traditional crunchy European power metal. Despite this, the song does not feel out of place on the album, it just makes Sammet's presence feel at home - and there is enough Kamelot here to make the song work. The band slow things down on the following song, with the ballad Ivy, My Dear the gentlest piece here. Written by Karevik and regular behind the scenes collaborator Michael 'Miro' Rodenberg, all of the band's usual bombast is replaced here by delicate piano melodies, acoustic guitars, and folky strings. There is no metal at all here really, despite some more percussive moments, with Karevik allowing his emotive, delicate vocals to dictate everything - whilst subtle flourishes from the acoustic guitar and the strings occasionally add depth. The song never builds towards something bigger, and its gentle nature works well - sitting nicely alongside the more stripped back Kamelot folky ballads of the past. Immediately returning to something more upbeat, single Godlike Alchemy is a great example of Kamelot's poppier side. The opening guitar leads are full of that heroic nature that has been a part of the Kamelot core sound since the 1990s, whilst the song dispenses of much of the gothic drama that the band often operate within. As such, this is one of the band's most overtly poppy power metal tracks yet. It is bouncy and pretty feel-good overall, despite the strings and orchestrations being pretty dense - with Karevik really channelling his Seventh Wonder vocal style, and even throwing in some pretty high-pitched melodies at times. The chorus sticks in the brain after only a single listen, and the rest of the song hangs around it. This one might be a big sugary for some, but I like it as something of an explosion of fun. The Sleeping Mind (Orphic Paradigm) is much more typically Kamelot, though. It remains full of hooks, but there is a lot more of a gothic feel this time. Fast-paced, the song opens with some more excellent lead work from Youngblood, before snappy riffing backs a faster verse, with gothic piano melodies ringing in the background - as Karevik is more emotive vocally. The faster Kamelot songs generally feel more upbeat by default, and there is less of their brooding nature on display here - but there is still a darkness when compared to the previous song, with a chorus that is both dark and hooky, with more of those slightly off-kilter vocal melodies that elevate things. Kaleidoscope is similar, although the pace is reined in somewhat - with precise double bass drumming backing another big guitar lead, before a strident verse takes over with dancing stings and tough guitar accents between Karevik's melodies. Compared to some of the songs here, this one feels less memorable - but it is still a pretty strong effort. The chorus is much more gothic, meaning it takes a few more listens to fully appreciate, and there are some heavier moments here with some pretty venomous double bass drum patterns.

For me, the rest of the album is largely not as strong as what has come up to this point. Enigma (Think of Me) may be my least favourite song here, and the ballad just does not really have the hooks to take hold. The opening is quite heavy for a ballad, but the verses feel a little dirgy - with a rumbling bass presence and the piano mixed too far into the background. Karevik often excels during slower numbers as he has such an emotive delivery, but the verses here do not feature his best efforts in terms of melody. The chorus is an overall improvement, as it is a little tougher and Karevik's melodies are stronger, but overall the song still does not really latch on - and, in some ways, it seems caught in between wanting to be a proper stripped back ballad and a more gothic, mid-paced number. As things stand, it has the benefits of neither, with the song overall a rare misstep in my opinion. Cassandra's Disease gets things back on track, though, and it is a song more in-keeping quality-wise with what came before. In some ways, the song sounds like what the previous one could have been had it been heavier and more of a proper rocker - as Cassandra's Disease is more overtly gothic, with mechanical riffing early on creating genuinely headbanging vibe. Slow-burning verses are still packed with weight thanks to Youngblood's guitar playing - whilst the chorus is a winner on the level of many of those heard earlier on, with yet more off-kilter vocal melodies. The number of excellent choruses on this album is what has kept me coming back over the past few weeks, and this is the last of the really big ones - with the song a late-album highlight thanks to its grooves and hooks. Beneath the Moon (Tunglið) is a strange number, totally sung in Icelandic by Rannveig Sif Sigurðardóttir and Sólveig Sara Leupold (the former of whom actually sang on 1999's The Fourth Legacy). The main musical hooks come from Lea-Sophie Fischer's (Eluveitie) violin, too, so there is not much Kamelot to be heard really - and Karevik is absent. I am not really sure why this song has been included. It sounds nice and folky, but it has nothing really to do with Kamelot sound-wise. I can only assume that it is part of the overall concept. It is really short, too, at just over two minutes - so the whole thing feels very strange. The last proper song here is The Puppet King, which immediately gets back to sounding like Kamelot after the previous Icelandic adventure. It is pretty fast-paced early on, although the main verses are more mid-paced overall - building towards a fast-paced chorus. Unfortunately, though, this is one of the few songs here that does not really excel chorus-wise. Overall, the song is just a bit generic - and does have a bit of a feeling of being filler, even though there is an excellent bridge section later on. It is also short, too, at just over three minutes - which is odd given that it is essentially the album closer. There is no epic finish here, then, which is a real shame - and the band have dropped the ball a bit when it comes to rounding things out. Sanctum Requiem is true closer, but it is a piano-based instrumental outro which does not link back to The Puppet King that well to give the two together the feeling of proper closing statement. It is a real shame, really, as had the album had a proper, epic closing number then Dark Asylum could have been one of Kamelot's best albums. As things stand, it is a strong effort, with some of the band's best individual songs for a while, but it is let down by a neglected back end that features undeveloped songs and strange inclusions. A number of the songs here will be excellent live, though, and due to the anthemic nature of most the album I can see myself coming back to it a lot - with one of my favourite bands delivering, for the most part, again.

The album was released on 28th August 2026 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Ashen World.