Dallas Black Review Of Kamelot-Ghost Opera

After listening to this album yesterday I was prepared to sit down at this moment and admit that it is a pretty boring album but now listening to these songs for a review has made me change my mind-again. I was very dissapointed in it the first listen, after seeing them live I enjoyed the album some more times, a while back and recently I listened to it and found myself bored with it again, and now listening to the tracks again I enjoy them. This album is like a teeter totter for me and quite frankly I was ready to give up on reviewing it. I think I realize why this is effecting me differently. When I first heard it, I had the volume at a regular level same thing with my recent times and I was bored. Live and right now I am listening to it fairly loud and I am enjoying it. This album is boring at regular sound levels and exiciting at loud volume. The heaviness seems to be drowned out by the orchestration at regular level but is more noticeable at a high level. I don't pretend to understand why and have no explaination. I will admit that they tried too hard with the orchestration and should have toned it down then the album would probably be enjoyable for me at all times. I guess the only solution is to listen to it loud and if I can't do that (i.e. at work) wait until I can. One thing that I can still compilment without doubt is the great guitar work of Thomas Youngblood which still delivers. Same thing can be said for the amazing voice of the great Kahn man. Not to mention the impressive drum work of Casey Grillo.

Solitare-Good violin intro that sets the mood for the entire album. 4/5

Rule The World-The guitars start to chug and are soon joined by the drums with the violins moving it along. Not as mind blowing as the previous first songs (i.e. Fourth Legacy, Forever, Center Of The Universe, and March Of Mephisto) but still a "Kamelot worthy" song. 4/5

Ghost Opera-Orchestral opening into the chugging guitars and catchy melody, typical Kamelot song but again nothing mind-blowing. 4/5

The Human Stain-First track not to be opened with orcestration, the heaviness almost seems to push the orchestration back. The best track up to this point. 5/5

Blucher-Soundbites open this up followed by orchestration but the guitars aren't chugging this time. Again the orchestration seems to push heaviness behind it. Nice computer voice effects leading to the very melodic chorus. 4/5

Love You To Death-Opening with a Celtic/Asian style into a slow opening with female singing accompanying Kahn. Melodic and bombastic chorus. The heaviness is still there but is still taking a back seat to the orchestration. 4/5

Bombastic opening with great heaviness still being overshadowed. This album showing some good modern power rhythm guitar work. 4/5

Mourning Star-Gregorian chants opening this track up real nicely. This was the first track that stood out for me in my recent listening of this album. Again the heaviness able to rise to the surface. 5/5

Silence Of The Darkness-Nice guitar solo opening into some good power metal chugging guitars. Another song that mangages to bring the heaviness out of the back seat. 5/5

Anthem-Piano ballad containing good melody and great vocals but is still kind of boring. Weakest track of the album. 3/5

Eden Echo-Good piano opening into some more chugging guitars. Chorus really catchy and the heaviness again rears it's head, trying to compete with the orchesrtation. 5/5

The Pendulous Fall-Piano opening into some decent guitar chugging. Suffers same fate as most of the songs, orchestration seems to want to hog the spotlight. 4/5

In conclusion, Kamelot is still IMO a very talented group of musicians and write decent music and are masters of melody. Hopefully the next release will bring back some of the glory of the past albums. Don't get rid of the orchestration but bring the heaviness out of it's shadow and they can achieve this. If this is your first intro to these guys and you are dissapointed I suggest you go with Fourth Legacy, Karma, Black Halo, and to a lesser extent, Epica. While not a horrible album, this is by far their weakest.

I can live with that review. Kamelot has always been a band I have to be in the right mood for but they are always better louder and I agree totally with what you say about Mourning Star.

I agree with the boring part. I find this band getting more boring with each release. I have everything up through Black Halo (which was a major snoozefest for me) so I never even gave Ghost Opera a chance. I know almost everyone loves Black Halo but I found it really boring and when I read that Ghost Opera expands on that sound, I decided to pass.

Having heard it being trashed over and over I was prepared to not like Ghost Opera. However, I find it to be very enjoyable. Not very crunchy or metalic, but it still has great pacing and melody.

tohostudios wrote:

I agree with the boring part. I find this band getting more boring with each release. I have everything up through Black Halo (which was a major snoozefest for me) so I never even gave Ghost Opera a chance. I know almost everyone loves Black Halo but I found it really boring and when I read that Ghost Opera expands on that sound, I decided to pass.

I'm with Toho on this one. I find Ghost Opera to be lightweight and boring. Bring back the metal Kamelot!

I have the CD/DVD version of Ghost Opera. I'm probably gonna offer it up for trade.

ult

Ghost Opera is a mooder for sure. Sometimes I like it, Sometimes I can't even sit through 2 songs. Black Halo howerer is pure brilliance!!!!

Good sleeping pill.

Maybe it's because I really like prog, but I enjoyed Ghost Opera. It isn't as heavy as their previous stuff, true, but it's still pretty good. And who can argue with Khan's voice? He ranks in the top five power-style vocalists for me!

QuothTheRaven wrote:

Maybe it's because I really like prog, but I enjoyed Ghost Opera. It isn't as heavy as their previous stuff, true, but it's still pretty good. And who can argue with Khan's voice? He ranks in the top five power-style vocalists for me!

No doubt and he is also very impressive live as well. I like prog too but that album just is too much of a roller coaster ride for me (the songs sounded much better live though).

I don't like Prog at all, but I find the last two Kamelot to be my favorite.

While I can't stand the last two Kamelot albums, there's no denying that Roy Khan is one of the best singers around.