Vola are back in action.
Three years after their last studio effort, Asger Mygind (vocals/guitar), Martin Werner (keyboards), Nicolai Mogensen (bass) and Adam Janzi (drums) announce the release of their fourth album, Friend of a Phantom, on Mascot Records.
The band attack with the energetic Cannibal, an explosive and complex composition in which they unite with Anders Fridén (In Flames) for a very heterogeneous duet in which the two voices answer each other and join forces on the chorus. Futuristic keyboard touches maintain the Prog atmosphere, as on Break My Lying Tongue, where the track enormously slows down on the verses, only to ignite again during the furious flights, as on the final where Asger offers us a powerful scream before letting We Will Not Disband reassure us about the band’s future by spreading soothing riffs. The Djent groove perfectly complements the quietude, as on Glass Mannequin where the sound remains very calm and minimalist, letting the vocalist use a few effects to make his voice more vaporous and accompany the instrumental before picking up the pace again with Bleed Out. The track will surprise you with its Trap influences, but guitar and bass return in force from time to time, offering bursts of energy on the choruses and the screamed break, while Paper Wolf places intriguing sounds and fury right from the start. Keyboards and other samples dress up the more bouncy passages before returning to a tumultuous melancholy on I Don’t Know How We Got Here, taking up the basics of Progressive Metal to create a very rhythmic and catchy track. Hollow Kid is a little gentler, letting the heaviness of the tuning create the strongest parts while relying on its technical spikes and a little saturated vocals, then Tray adds the finishing touch, first gently and then with some more majestic moments before giving up.
Vola‘s name continues to make a name for itself with quality compositions, and Friend of a Phantom will contribute to this, to say the least! The band’s identity is firmly rooted in Progressive Metal, but the singer’s voice gives it a unique touch.
80/100
