AMG‘s excellent review of Greek progressive power metal quartet Sunburst’s debut Fragments of Creation was among my first finds here. I fell immediately in love with the band’s music, and Fragments rapidly became one of my staples for quite some time.1 Then, Sunburst seemingly dropped off the face of the planet as far as I could see. Suddenly, I discover a little painterly face with Sunburst’s logo splashed over top in my email. I lost my fucking mind. A new Sunburst‽ It was only a day or so later that we received promo, and I rabidly snatched it for myself. I simply could not wait to deep dive into Sunburst’s latest Manifesto.
As a natural consequence of my highly aggressive hype train campaign, several of our other scribes provided takes and comps galore. I hear an irresistible combination of Kamelot, Seventh Wonder, Borealis, and Triosphere in Sunburst’s latest opus. Steel cited influences ranging from Conception and Threshold all the way to Pyramaze and Pagan’s Mind. Even Grier piped up to assure me that if I didn’t mention Symphony X in this write-up that I was, and I quote, “an idiot.” The truth of the matter is that everyone here is right. Manifesto’s material draws from the deep wells of power prog’s powerhouses, and yet Sunburst play the game just as well as any of them. Swirling with acrobatic guitars, sweeping synths, soaring vocals, and densely groovy rhythms, this sophomore record takes everything that was great about Fragments of Creation and expands, develops, and refines it.
Sunburst never do anything small, and Manifesto is no exception to that rule. “The Flood” opens the record in its most bombastic blast, explosively announcing Sunburst’s return in richly layered power/prog goodness, and featuring an insane baroque guitar solo. Follow-up “Hollow Lies” immediately hikes the adrenaline way up. Killer speed, galloping riffs, and delicious leads pummel the body as buttery smooth vocal lines massage the neurons until liquid. Further synaptic tenderizing occurs as “Samaritan” and late bloomer “Manifesto” swagger and swerve with proggy riffs, ascendant choruses, and a metric shit-ton of cleverly placed pinch harmonics. Touching—but still heavy—pieces like “Perpetual Descent,” “Inimicus Intus” and “From the Cradle to the Grave” channel that beloved bleeding Triosphere heart. By stripping away the lush orchestrations and focusing on razor-sharp riffs, effluvient vocal lines, and hooky constructions, these songs make me swoon hard enough to cause a concussion. Unsatisfied with the stellar work delivered across forty-two minutes, Sunburst drop an epic seven-minute-plus closer “Nocturne” as their finishing move. Featuring a fantastically Coheed and Cambrian chorus stomp and tons of instrumental drama (note the inspirational solo in the second half), this song showcases a more explorative side of Manifesto in the eleventh hour to expertly twist the knife just before fading out of the world.
With Sunburst, negative critiques come at a premium. A major contributor to that success is Vasilis Georgiou and his gilded pipes. A brassy alternative to Roy Khan and Tommy Karevik, Vasilis simply astounds across the board, standing out with a uniquely powerful display of control, dynamics, and passion. Behind him, Gus Drax unloads an unreal payload of meaty riffs, inspired solos, and brilliant leads that bring great dimension to Manifesto’s message. Driving everything inexorably forward with smart patterns and wonderful fills, drummer Kostas Milonas thunders through the record with impeccable taste—never overplaying for the sake of style or overcomplicating for the sake of a technical challenge. The only knock is Nick Grey’s subdued presence on the bass guitar. While still well felt even when not so well heard, Nick deserves much more audible presence in the mix to fully showcase what is a stellar display of low-end counterpoint and bounce.
Manifesto is something I have heard before, but my heart, body, and soul alight like it’s the first time. Certainly no sophomore slump, this record takes my breath away. I not only never expected to hear from Sunburst again, but also never expected their return to be so goddamned good. It’s so good, in fact, that even though I always wish the bass was much more audible, I can’t describe my experience with Manifesto and anything short of delightful. I can’t help myself. I need to deep-dive into Sunburst’s Manifesto one more time!
Rating: Excellent!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Inner Wound Recordings
Website: facebook.com/sunburstofficial
Releases Worldwide: June 14th, 2024
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