Reviews

YAWARHIEM..'THE REBIRTH OF THE EMPIRE'

(Self Release) Reviewed 4th August 2010

In his continuing quest to bring you best in symphonic power metal, your intrepid reporter set off for Peru. Using the ancient legends of the Incas as my guide, I fought my way through jungles, swamps, pain, starvation and disease until I can upon a clearing and there I found Yawarhiem, the legendary lost tribe of metallers! The band was formed in 2005 by vocalists J. Miguel Brendal and Aurora D’Nina and after years of effort they now unleash their debut telling the legendary story of Ayar Tawar and the creation of the Inca Empire, making a nice change from the normal evil wizards and brave knights. The obvious reference point is Rhapsody, before they slowed down, but with a unique difference, instead of the medieval folk interludes you get delightful Peruvian folk music with J. Miguel’s flying pan pipes rather than Manuel Staropoli’s flute. J. Migual has a powerful rock voice, Fabione Lione without the Italian accent, supported by Aurora semi operatic vocals and the sing-along choir. This is fantastic music to wave your macanas around to, that’s a wooden club with a bone crushing metal end, we’re talking Inca’s here (the first people to go out clubbing?). Production is excellent - clear, well balanced and tending towards the lighter end of the power metal spectrum, more Wildpath than Enslaved, bringing out the subtleties rather than bashing your brain in. Drummer Julio mixes things up, so the double peddling doesn’t get tiresome, and the songs have plenty of variety with skilled instrumental performances, particularly those pan pipes. I have put their video on the Female Voices blog, nice to have some lovely scenery for a change rather than the normal derelict factories (why do bands do that, it baffles me). If you like Rhapsody, Wildpath and speedy symphonic metal, then macanas your way to www.myspace.com/yawarhiemoficial, you can message the band for a copy and join their fan club. 8.5/10 (Reviewed by Phil)

YOTANGOR..'KING OF THE UNIVERSE'

(Brennus Music) Reviewed 6th July 2009

I am continually blown away by the music on offer within our beloved genre, by and large from bands that are either unsigned or are on small indie labels. I have just got over the totally awesome debut by Italian band Lunacy Box, and now along come YOTANGOR. They are a metal band from Toulouse (south of France), proving that mainland Europe at the moment is a definite hotbed of femme fronted rock and metal. Yotangor, fronted by Yngrid Allières is what I would best describe as a pompous, grandoise, melodic, symphonic metal act. And with two other ladies in the band, Vanessa J Wood and Corinne "Coxx" Fourment, who both share keyboard and backing vocal duties, this is a female fronted metal lover's wet dream. I cannot even begin to make comparisons here - I suppose if one could imagine a mix of Nightwish, Epica, Queen and British Pomp Rockers Magnum, mix it up and add limited doses of any female fronted symphonic metal act you can care to think of (minus the operatic warblings), then perhaps we are there or there abouts. I am not really sure to be honest!! Musically, this double cd (it's a double) is totally awesome. It is a concept album telling the tale of a dictator who is ignoring the consequences of his acts. Yep that's right! And there are highlights throughout the 26 tracks on offer to keep the metal fan, the symphonic metal fan and AOR fan totally happy. Production is spot on as is the musicianship throughout. Highlights are far too numerous to mention, but fave tracks of mine are the AOR sounding 'About Love', of which there is also a video, the catchy 'Our Land' and 'Power'. A couple of equally awesome tracks have clean male vocals, but I am not sure who in the band has that honour. Anyway, this band posted a comment on Ravenheart Music myspace that initially caught my attention, and boy am I glad they did. This is mind blowing, totally mind blowing. 100 minutes of music, lavishly packaged and presented. Go on, check them out at www.myspace.com/yotangor and then treat yourself! 9.5/10 (Reviewed by Dave)