Written by: Nameless_N00b_90
Do you believe power metal has become “too soft and synth-based?”1 Then Veonity has the solution for you—their sixth full-length album, The Final Element. These Swedes have been offering up their brand of late ‘90s power metal since 2013.2 And in 2020 Twelve covered their fourth album, Sorrows, noting that it was “a solid and enjoyable slab of power metal.” Veonity has undergone some crucial changes since they last graced these hallowed halls, notably the addition of vocalist Isak Stenvall (Lancer), which allows former vocalist Anders Sköld to focus solely on guitar. With the extra firepower that Stenvall provides, Veonity hopes to get you pumped up for their epic saga of power metal anthems.
The Final Element tells an epic fantasy tale, and the focus on narrative drives the album’s tone. Much of the story has the protagonist overcoming an obstacle or finding success, and the rousing music mirrors these themes. There’s a joyful mood reminiscent of what Fellowship plays on The Saberlight Chronicles. Some of these good feelings come from guitar riffs playing high, uplifting notes (“Carry On”, “Heart of a Warrior”). Stenvall is the main driver of these good feelings, though. He sings with such gusto on “Chains of Tyranny” that you can’t help but feel your spirit soar with the cry “Together we’ll break the chains of tyranny.”3 While Veonity isn’t billed as a Christian act, Christian imagery dominates much of The Final Element, which explains why Stenvall sounds so blissful relaying “My sacrifice will fulfill my destiny” and later invoking a Christ-like figure who will “Forgive all… sins” (“The Fifth Element”). He sounds downright angelic as the album reaches its conclusion, and he’s eventually backed by a choir that evokes the pearly gates of heaven.
The introduction of Stenvall as lead vocalist brings a significant change to Veonity’s sound. While Stenvall lacks Sköld’s vocal diversity, he’s a much better singer. His higher register is reminiscent of Fellowship’s Matthew Corry,4 and it brings a bouncy lightness to The Final Element. It’s not just the singing that’s improved, but Sköld and Samuel Lundström’s guitar work feels more energetic. They often let loose with furious shredding à la Dragonforce, setting a stirring tone early on and keeping a rollicking melody to accent Stenvall’s singing. Joel Kollberg’s double-kick drumming has some serious punch, turning your head into a speed bag when the pace grows frenetic. The bass (Kristoffer Lidre) sadly gets lost in the mix, but it sometimes rears its groovy head, like early in “Warrior’s Code.” Outside of the synths in the brief intro track, this is no-frills, meat ‘n’ taters power metal.
Veonity relies heavily on traditional song structures. It’s as though they’ve studied Songcraft 101 in as much depth as I’ve had to study Angry Metal Guy’s Guide to Not Sucking Anymore.5 All songs follow a classic (if formulaic) intro, verse, chorus, bridge, and finally, the chorus repeated a whole bunch. Writing within a time-tested formula isn’t necessarily bad, but it does put some constraints on the music. For one, Veonity heavily reins in their solos during the bridge, and while this helps fend off bloat, I miss the extended wankery that noted wanksters Ascension and Dragonforce employ. Cutting at least one rendition of the chorus in favor of lengthier solos would help the songs feel less repetitive. However, The Final Element has plenty of catchy choruses, and the use of a repetitive formula builds stronger anticipation when the songs hit their peaks. Writing within rigid structures also keeps the album nice and tight at 44 minutes.
At the conclusion of his review of Sorrows, Twelve wrote that “Veonity have a lot to offer the wonderful world of power metal.” Four years later, that’s even more true. Veonity has successfully revitalized its sound with fast and furious energy, vigorous guitar solos, and a fresh vocalist. The Final Element proves that you can stick to the moist bread-and-butter basics and still have a good time. Veonity may not top the masters of joyous power metal, but at least they give impatient Fellowship fans something to tide them over until The Skies above Eternity drops in late November.6
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 256 kb/s CBR MP3
Label: Scarlet Records | Bandcamp
Websites: veonity.com
Releases Worldwide: October 18, 2024
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