Artist: Adamantis
Album: Far Flung Realm
Label: Cruz Del Sur Music
Re-release Date: 19/03/2021, Original: 23/10/2020
Country: United States
Written by James Sweetlove
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We take a look at Adamantis and their debut album Far Flung Realm, set for re-release on March 19th on Cruz Del Sur Music, in partnership with Clawhammer PR. The album was originally released independently on October 23rd, 2020.
The band hail from Brighton, Massachusetts and formed back in 2016. Since this time, they have released this full-length album and one EP, Thundermark in 2018. The band is Jeff Stark (vocals), Jeff Taft (guitars), Cody Pelchat (bass), Javier Estrada (guitars) and Evgeny Gromovoy (drums). The album was produced, mixed and mastered by Christian “Moschus” Moos of Spacelab Mixing.
The band play a blend of European power metal and traditional heavy metal that draws influences from a number of classic acts including Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray and Running Wild. You will hear various elements of each in the mix, as well as nods to other classics such as Halloween, Angra and Stratovarius. Personally, I’m very picky with what power metal I listen to. It’s one of those genres that has presented us with some absolutely incredible acts over the years such as the above-mentioned bands, all of which I’m a huge fan of, particularly Blind Guardian. However, it is one of those genres that has turned out a LOT of mediocre and generic acts that all sound somewhat the same and essentially bleed into being essentially the same band with varying levels of proficiency. Adamantis stood out to me as an act that didn’t fall into that trap and while drawing inspiration from the classic acts very much had their own distinctive sound and style.
The vocals on the album sit at exactly the right level, halfway between soaring vocals with a high range and lower, powerful vocals that have a somewhat commanding presence. Often bands choose to focus on one and not the other and that can get a little boring, but Adamantis mix it up and offer us a diverse range. The mixing is also fantastic in regard to the vocals, they are the driving force on the album as they should be with a release of this style, but they don’t drown out the instrumentals at all. Every element is very clear and audible.
Instrumentally speaking we have some solid guitar work on the album. There are plenty of catchy and memorable riffs and hooks throughout the release. We also get some pretty impressive solos thrown into the mix, which is something you would hope for. Nothing is better than soaring vocals partnered with a soaring guitar solo, both working to tell fantasy tales. This brings us to the lyrical themes on the album, which are exactly what you would hope for on a release of this nature. They cover topics ranging from Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion novels to Steven Erikson’s Gardens of the Moon, as well as various historical and fantasy themes. Good, wholesome power metal content in the tradition of the classics of the style. As far as the other instrumental elements on the album go, the drum work is solid, with high energy drum work supporting the guitar in its various endeavors throughout the release. The bass on the release is present and adds some depth to the overall sound but doesn’t shine through on its own to any real extent.
Overall, I really enjoyed the album, especially as I hadn’t really listened to any new power metal for quite some time. So for me this was somewhat of a nostalgic experience that brought back some good memories and has left me wanting to check out more modern power metal. If you are a fan of the classics in the genre then I’m sure you will find some joy in giving this album a spin or two. Take some time and check it out today and get your order in for a physical copy.
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