Borealis (CAN)

[Horex]

Borealis - Purgatory (2015)













Year : 2015
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : Canada
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 152 mb

Bio:

With soaring vocals, lightning fast guitars and a rock solid backline, Borealis is bringing leather back, and dragging power metal up with it. It's been that way from the start for these 5 Canadian guys: all or nothing, and it shows in their music. Their self-produced debut 'World of Silence' has garnered attention from all angles of the industry, and word is just starting to get out.Starting out in 2005, Borealis wasn't supposed to sound as it does today. The first songs and live performances were done with a female opera singer. It was quickly realized that the possibilities were limited following that path, so they set out to find the right sound. During their search, enough songs were written to record an album, but there was no luck finding a singer. Finally, it was decided that Matt Marinelli (singer/guitarist) was a douche for not letting on that he could sing up until that point.With their new singer and an arsenal of songs, Borealis entered the studio, and after a long and endlessly drawn out time, World of Silence was unleashed. Having played locally with Kamelot, Epica, and Sonata Arctica with nothing to sell, patient fans were elated to finally get their hands on the album, and Borealis played a packed show with Edguy to support it.With a new partership with Intromental Management, Borealis can now take the next step towards reaching their goal. Just a short history of a band working to fill a tall order. Consisting of Sean Werlick (keys), Mike Briguglio (guitar), Sean Dowell (drums) and Jamie Smith (bass), along with the aformentioned Matt Marinelli, the top of the power metal scene is where these Canadians strive to be, and if there's only one certainty, it's that they won't stop until they're there."To me it was a chemistry that worked right away, ''World Of Silence'' is a power metal masterpiece, capturing the sheer essence of the genre and improving it by adding speed and progressive metal elements! Their sound can be described as being both expressive and melodic, especially in the keyboards and guitar sections as a result of harmonized layering. The vocals of guitar player Matt Marinelli are another point that lifts this band to a very high level. Yes, brothers and sisters; there's a new star born, heading from the west! This release is a blistering one for all those into Progressive Power Metal. Borealis is a band you should try out and believe me you won't be disappointed for one minute." - Officer Nice, Metal to Infinity (users.telenet.be/metaltoinfinity/METALTOINFINITY.htm)Musically Borealis leans towards the power metal sound, not too far removed from a band such as Evergrey or even Savatage in their prime, but also the more progressive bands like Vanden Plas or Dream Theater springs to mind here and there.Right now, with a worldwide management and booking deal signed with Intromental Management, Borealis are focusing on their next album, which also will be the first one released through a record label. Consisting of new songs as well as a few re-arranged and re-recorded songs chosen from 'World of Silence', the album will be a major step forward and will secure Borealis' place among the best bands in metal in 2009.

Album:

Hailing from the mighty land of Ontario in Canada, BOREALIS is about to make a strong demonstration of how the Modern Power Metal with a strong Prog tendency should be conceived in sound, how it could mature, developing itself and grow to a state of world domination!The band's new album "Purgatory" is scheduled for release on June 19th in Europe…Later in USA & Japan!Third time is the charm, they said…In 2011’s BOREALIS released their sophomore album ”Fall From Grace“ (Lion Music/Hydrant) it was received very well by the fans and personally I had written some strong words and praised comments..I acclaimed this superb collection of songs, I promoted it everywhere with conviction…The progression factor between ”Fall From Grace“ and the first album “World Of Silence” (2008) was amazing, if such a potentially increasing boost in quality will occurs twice, the new “Purgatory” will set the threshold trigger very high for the rest of 2015…The Music experts and the devoted fan base already know about BOREALIS and their talented genius, the immense possibilities offered by their amazing abilities…Did they succeed in their plans?Well, Yes…After a few minutes with the blistering opening cut “Past The Veil” it seems obvious that BOREALIS and it’s prodigy frontman Matt Marinelli are doing a dense impression, high class Metal with a broad range Soaring vocals under a sharpened sonic design quite balanced between the virulence of the Guitar/Drums staccato-alliance and the subtle Symphonic motifs in the arrangements, not unlike the mastery of SYMPHONY X!“From The Ashes” contains a duet with a female guest vocalist Miss Sarah Dee…Yes it's another glorious step to demonstrate the majesty in the expressive voice of Matt Marinelli particularly jaw-dropping in “Rest My Child”/the sublime ”Destiny” in a style very similar to EVERGREY or in the title track, an totally honest approach passionate to the max!The lead guitar spots are even more impressive than before, still hyper skilled but now holding a fresh melodic target in sight (“Purgatory”/”Destiny”) and carefully crafted with a beautiful and updated fat tone…Their rewarding composing method is based on the elegance of the instrumentation but also on the intensity edge of each song, as an example the complementary sequence of the emotive “Darkest Sin” that leads to the optimistic pace of “My Peace” is another clever signal concerning the superiority of BOREALIS in this overcrowded scene!Once again with BOREALIS the drumming architecture of Sean Dowell on “Purgatory” is exceptional in the performance, notably in the fast fills break and in the demented double kick but also in the more groovy momentum (“The Chosen One”/”Place Of Darkness”/"Sacrifice") but the smart structures of the compositions are the most thrilling parameter of this album.Their new collaboration with the high profile German label AFM was already a good presage, because the quality stamp is a regular constant in their roster and in the regular influx of monthly releases, and in fact “Purgatory” is a twelve-tracks triumphal CD : Obviously essential for every Melodic Metal enthusiast!

Line Up:

Matt Marinelli Vocals, Guitars
Jamie Smith Bass
Michael Briguglio Guitars
Sean Werlick Keyboards
Sean Dowell Drums

Tracklist:

01. Past the Veil 05:15
02. From the Ashes 04:41
03. The Chosen One 04:18
04. Destiny 04:25
05. Darkest Sin 03:20
06. My Peace 04:39
07. Place of Darkness 04:07
08. Welcome to Eternity 04:42
09. Sacrifice 04:32
10. Rest My Child 04:31
11. Purgatory 04:00
12. Revelation 03:50




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Borealis - World Of Silence MMXVII (2017)













Year : 2017
Style : Melodic Power Metal , Melodic Heavy Metal
Country : Canada
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 190 mb

Bio:

With soaring vocals, lightning fast guitars and a rock solid backline, Borealis is bringing leather back, and dragging power metal up with it. It's been that way from the start for these 5 Canadian guys: all or nothing, and it shows in their music. Their self-produced debut 'World of Silence' has garnered attention from all angles of the industry, and word is just starting to get out.Starting out in 2005, Borealis wasn't supposed to sound as it does today. The first songs and live performances were done with a female opera singer. It was quickly realized that the possibilities were limited following that path, so they set out to find the right sound. During their search, enough songs were written to record an album, but there was no luck finding a singer. Finally, it was decided that Matt Marinelli (singer/guitarist) was a douche for not letting on that he could sing up until that point.With their new singer and an arsenal of songs, Borealis entered the studio, and after a long and endlessly drawn out time, World of Silence was unleashed. Having played locally with Kamelot, Epica, and Sonata Arctica with nothing to sell, patient fans were elated to finally get their hands on the album, and Borealis played a packed show with Edguy to support it.With a new partership with Intromental Management, Borealis can now take the next step towards reaching their goal. Just a short history of a band working to fill a tall order. Consisting of Sean Werlick (keys), Mike Briguglio (guitar), Sean Dowell (drums) and Jamie Smith (bass), along with the aformentioned Matt Marinelli, the top of the power metal scene is where these Canadians strive to be, and if there's only one certainty, it's that they won't stop until they're there."To me it was a chemistry that worked right away, ''World Of Silence'' is a power metal masterpiece, capturing the sheer essence of the genre and improving it by adding speed and progressive metal elements! Their sound can be described as being both expressive and melodic, especially in the keyboards and guitar sections as a result of harmonized layering. The vocals of guitar player Matt Marinelli are another point that lifts this band to a very high level. Yes, brothers and sisters; there's a new star born, heading from the west! This release is a blistering one for all those into Progressive Power Metal. Borealis is a band you should try out and believe me you won't be disappointed for one minute." - Officer Nice, Metal to Infinity (users.telenet.be/metaltoinfinity/METALTOINFINITY.htm)Musically Borealis leans towards the power metal sound, not too far removed from a band such as Evergrey or even Savatage in their prime, but also the more progressive bands like Vanden Plas or Dream Theater springs to mind here and there.Right now, with a worldwide management and booking deal signed with Intromental Management, Borealis are focusing on their next album, which also will be the first one released through a record label. Consisting of new songs as well as a few re-arranged and re-recorded songs chosen from 'World of Silence', the album will be a major step forward and will secure Borealis' place among the best bands in metal in 2009.

Album:

Yes, many of you were guessing right: we will rerelease our debut album "World Of Silence". But ... not only that: we went to the studio to record everything anew and Sean then gave the album a great and powerful new mix in his studio. “We were in talks with AFM Records about rereleasing ‘World Of Silence’ when we suddenly thought: why not rerecord the entire album for this occasion”, says Borealis singer/guitarist Matt Marinelli. “It was originally self-released in 2008. A lot has happened since then. The band has evolved a lot and two more albums were released in 2011’s ‘Fall From Grace’ and 2015’s ‘Purgatory’. So making this reissue of ‘World Of Silence’ a representation of what Borealis is about in 2017 made sense for us. We are in the fortunate position that our drummer Sean Dowell runs his own studio, so recording, mixing & mastering didn’t cause any problems for us in this case.” After finishing work on ‘World Of Silence MMXVII’, Borealis has two more exciting projects for 2017: in April, the band will rerelease their 2011 album "Fall From Grace" via AFM and the band has already continued songwriting for their upcoming studio album with all new material, which will drop in the autumn of 2017.

Line Up:

Matt Marinelli - Vocals, Guitars
Jamie Smith - Bass
Michael Briguglio - Guitars
Sean Werlick - Keyboards
Sean Dowell - Drums

Tracklist:

01. Lost Voices
02. Midnight City
03. From The Fading Screams
04. Forget The Past
05. Eyes Of A Dream
06. World Of Silence
07. The Afterlife
08. Divine Answer
09. The Dawning Light
10. Black Rose

+ Video "World of Silence" (Official Video)




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Borealis - Fall From Grace (2011) (AFM Records Edition 2017)













Year : 2011 (AFM Records Edition 2017)
Style : Melodic Power Metal , Melodic Heavy Metal
Country : Canada
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 141 mb

Bio:

With soaring vocals, lightning fast guitars and a rock solid backline, Borealis is bringing leather back, and dragging power metal up with it. It's been that way from the start for these 5 Canadian guys: all or nothing, and it shows in their music. Their self-produced debut 'World of Silence' has garnered attention from all angles of the industry, and word is just starting to get out.Starting out in 2005, Borealis wasn't supposed to sound as it does today. The first songs and live performances were done with a female opera singer. It was quickly realized that the possibilities were limited following that path, so they set out to find the right sound. During their search, enough songs were written to record an album, but there was no luck finding a singer. Finally, it was decided that Matt Marinelli (singer/guitarist) was a douche for not letting on that he could sing up until that point.With their new singer and an arsenal of songs, Borealis entered the studio, and after a long and endlessly drawn out time, World of Silence was unleashed. Having played locally with Kamelot, Epica, and Sonata Arctica with nothing to sell, patient fans were elated to finally get their hands on the album, and Borealis played a packed show with Edguy to support it.With a new partership with Intromental Management, Borealis can now take the next step towards reaching their goal. Just a short history of a band working to fill a tall order. Consisting of Sean Werlick (keys), Mike Briguglio (guitar), Sean Dowell (drums) and Jamie Smith (bass), along with the aformentioned Matt Marinelli, the top of the power metal scene is where these Canadians strive to be, and if there's only one certainty, it's that they won't stop until they're there."To me it was a chemistry that worked right away, ''World Of Silence'' is a power metal masterpiece, capturing the sheer essence of the genre and improving it by adding speed and progressive metal elements! Their sound can be described as being both expressive and melodic, especially in the keyboards and guitar sections as a result of harmonized layering. The vocals of guitar player Matt Marinelli are another point that lifts this band to a very high level. Yes, brothers and sisters; there's a new star born, heading from the west! This release is a blistering one for all those into Progressive Power Metal. Borealis is a band you should try out and believe me you won't be disappointed for one minute." - Officer Nice, Metal to Infinity (users.telenet.be/metaltoinfinity/METALTOINFINITY.htm)Musically Borealis leans towards the power metal sound, not too far removed from a band such as Evergrey or even Savatage in their prime, but also the more progressive bands like Vanden Plas or Dream Theater springs to mind here and there.Right now, with a worldwide management and booking deal signed with Intromental Management, Borealis are focusing on their next album, which also will be the first one released through a record label. Consisting of new songs as well as a few re-arranged and re-recorded songs chosen from 'World of Silence', the album will be a major step forward and will secure Borealis' place among the best bands in metal in 2009.

Album:

Fall From Grace is Borealis’ second release, but it is their first album to be released by Lion Music. As a longtime fan of the band, this was my most anticipated record of the year, and while it doesn’t live up to the debut, it is not a disappointment. This record has been a few years in the making and the efforts of the band really show. If you are familiar with the debut, you’ll notice that this album is more progressive, and the lyrical themes tend to focus more on reality. Regardless, Fall From Grace is a masterful work and one of the best albums of the year.The album kicks off with “Finest Hour”, which is an appropriate title as this is one of the band’s greatest songs. It contains the thrashiest riffing in Borealis’ catalogue and even features some harsh vocals (courtesy of Crimson Shadows vocalist Jimi Maltais). Even more uncharacteristically, this song ends with a long instrumental passage accompanied by a spoken backing track. This song sets the tone for the album as it displays the major improvement made by vocalist and guitarist Matt Marinelli. His effort on the debut was fantastic, but he has stepped it up for this album. This is no more noticeable than on “Watch the World Collapse”, where Marinelli is largely on his own. Aside from the improvement in the vocals, the rest of the band does a great job in displaying their talents. The keyboards on this album, played by Sean Werlick, fit in better than on any other album I’ve heard. Although they rarely come to the forefront of the music, their presence adds to the atmosphere of the music. Werlick sometimes opts to switch to a clean piano sound, such as at the midpoint of “Forgotten Forever”, providing a nice change in pace. Moreover, the drumming on this album is also exceptional. The double bass work on this album stands out over everything else simply because it is so powerful. While the excellent production aids the drum sounds, Sean Dowell is an absolute master of the drums. His talents were displayed better on the first album (particularly at the end of the track “The Afterlife”), but he still provides excellent work here. There are a few tracks where he completely changes the feel of the chorus by going for a restrained, spacious effect (as opposed to constant double bass).Musically, this album deserves the title of progressive. While there are defined choruses, the structure is far looser than previous Borealis songs. It definitely feels as if the band put more time into these songs and really worked to make them catchier. “Where We Started” is a prime example as it is simply one of the most memorable songs I have heard in all of metal. Somehow, the band even manages to incorporate a breakdown into the song without it sounding terrible. The idea of progressive power metal and breakdowns shouldn’t work, but Borealis has always done this well because of the use of keyboard arrangements over top. Another unique feature of the band is its ability to instantly change the feel of the song. Many power metal bands work at a fast pace, or, in the case of a ballad, a slow one. Borealis often manage to change the intensity of their songs several times. The aforementioned “Finest Hour”, and “Forgotten Forever”, along with “Breaking the Curse”, all have moments that will induce head-banging, moments that will force you to sing along, and moments that leave you in awe of the band’s talents. Ironically, the title track is the weakest song on the album. While it has moments of brilliance, it lacks the concentration of the other songs.This album is certainly a grower, so don’t disregard it if you don’t enjoy it on first listen. On the other hand, if tracks like “Where We Started” and “Regeneration” don’t immediately draw you in, Borealis might not be for you. Fall From Grace is a progression, but elements of the band’s previous sound do remain. I can’t give many valid comparisons, because I don’t delve too far into progressive metal, but any fan of power metal should enjoy this album and will love World of Silence, the band’s debut. Ultimately, Borealis created a great album. I have no doubt that the band will be picked up on a huge tour once this album reaches a huge audience. If you are a fan of anything melodic and heavy, check out Fall From Grace.

Line Up:

Matt Marinelli - Guitars, Vocals
Ken Fobert - Guitars
Jamie Smith - Bass
Sean Werlick - Keyboards
Sean Dowell - Drums

Tracklist:

01. Finest Hour 04:02
02. Words I Failed to Say 05:14
03. Fall from Grace 05:39
04. Where We Started 05:18
05. Breaking the Curse 04:54
06. Regeneration 05:45
07. Watch the World Collapse 04:04
08. Take You Over 03:22
09. Forgotten Forever 05:13
10. The Journey (Prologue) 04:48 (Bonus Track)

+ Video "Where We Started" (Official Video)




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Borealis - The Offering (Digipak Edition) (2018)













Year : 2018
Style : Melodic Power Metal , Melodic Heavy Metal
Country : Canada
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 142 mb

Bio:

With soaring vocals, lightning fast guitars and a rock solid backline, Borealis is bringing leather back, and dragging power metal up with it. It's been that way from the start for these 5 Canadian guys: all or nothing, and it shows in their music. Their self-produced debut 'World of Silence' has garnered attention from all angles of the industry, and word is just starting to get out.Starting out in 2005, Borealis wasn't supposed to sound as it does today. The first songs and live performances were done with a female opera singer. It was quickly realized that the possibilities were limited following that path, so they set out to find the right sound. During their search, enough songs were written to record an album, but there was no luck finding a singer. Finally, it was decided that Matt Marinelli (singer/guitarist) was a douche for not letting on that he could sing up until that point.With their new singer and an arsenal of songs, Borealis entered the studio, and after a long and endlessly drawn out time, World of Silence was unleashed. Having played locally with Kamelot, Epica, and Sonata Arctica with nothing to sell, patient fans were elated to finally get their hands on the album, and Borealis played a packed show with Edguy to support it.With a new partership with Intromental Management, Borealis can now take the next step towards reaching their goal. Just a short history of a band working to fill a tall order. Consisting of Sean Werlick (keys), Mike Briguglio (guitar), Sean Dowell (drums) and Jamie Smith (bass), along with the aformentioned Matt Marinelli, the top of the power metal scene is where these Canadians strive to be, and if there's only one certainty, it's that they won't stop until they're there."To me it was a chemistry that worked right away, ''World Of Silence'' is a power metal masterpiece, capturing the sheer essence of the genre and improving it by adding speed and progressive metal elements! Their sound can be described as being both expressive and melodic, especially in the keyboards and guitar sections as a result of harmonized layering. The vocals of guitar player Matt Marinelli are another point that lifts this band to a very high level. Yes, brothers and sisters; there's a new star born, heading from the west! This release is a blistering one for all those into Progressive Power Metal. Borealis is a band you should try out and believe me you won't be disappointed for one minute." - Officer Nice, Metal to Infinity (users.telenet.be/metaltoinfinity METALTOINFINITY.htm)Musically Borealis leans towards the power metal sound, not too far removed from a band such as Evergrey or even Savatage in their prime, but also the more progressive bands like Vanden Plas or Dream Theater springs to mind here and there.Right now, with a worldwide management and booking deal signed with Intromental Management, Borealis are focusing on their next album, which also will be the first one released through a record label. Consisting of new songs as well as a few re-arranged and re-recorded songs chosen from 'World of Silence', the album will be a major step forward and will secure Borealis' place among the best bands in metal in 2009.

Album:

There are somethings in life that just can’t be fixed, but a band’s sound isn’t one of them. When Borealis hit my review queue last time they were around in 2015 with ‘Purgatory’, all I could hear was some Evergrey-wannabees with little to be salvaged from their first (and, to that date, only decent) album who just wanted to force some emotional and commercial nonsense down your throat.In what seems to be a miracle or an irony of time, Matt Marinelli (vocals, guitars) and crew rise from the ashes (of the bonfire that they built from themselves to start with) and fix the mess that was ‘Purgatory’ with ‘The Offering’, fourth studio album by the Canadians. Oh, and this also marks the death of Marinelli’s Nickelback-esque schizophrenic vocals, which is a huge win by itself.This time around, instead of riding in the carriage of bland and meaningless music towards the land where prestige dies – which they rode VERY fast last time -, Borealis got their good ideas together and transitioned to a more mature, organic and less pretentious place, where things usually work out.Relying on the modern prog/power mechanics and a decent crystal-clear production – courtesy once again of drummer Sean Dowell – the album tells a story about “the creation, rise and ultimate demise of a cult who practices human, more specifically child sacrifice. They believe this method of belief, sacrifice and devotion will bring an end to the suffering of humanity, as well as bring back the innocence of mankind that was lost to greed and industrialism.”, according to the band. As cheesy and uninventive as this may sound, when diluted between the songs it’s actually pretty fun.When “The Fire Between Us” kicks in, it becomes more evident than ever that these dudes are fans of Evergrey. The riffing and overall instrumental are strongly derived from the Swedish veterans and this continues until the end as the main go-to melodic approach. The Canadians also add doses of theatrical and denser elements of which reminded me of Kamelot and a sense of aggressiveness and dystopia – mainly in the choruses of songs like “Sign of No Return” – of bands like Pyramaze. This works fine and makes the experience enjoyable and all, but there’s the problem that they end up without a proper identity.My favorite song of the bunch, the title-track, is a fine example of these different experiments combined; while the emotional atmosphere and overall aggressiveness are there, the leads and bridge have Evergrey written all over them, and the melodic chorus proves to be one of their best elements, breaking some of the pretentiousness of the story.The use of keyboards and background elements is constant, but thanks to the good production and mixing it doesn’t turn the tracks into a noise-fest. “River” and “Second Son” are heavily armed with these, and while they’re not masterpieces in any way, both manage to stand on their own and provide a decent mid-album atmosphere to link the better songs between them. If I had to choose the low point of the album, it would be the direct follow-up to these tunes, as “Into the Light” and “Scarlet Angel” are clearly inferior to the rest, especially the latter, cheesier than a Bryan Adams’ song (ok, I’ve gone too far, but you got the picture).“The Awakening”, “The Path”, “Forever Lost” and the very good “The Ghosts of Innocence” form the climax of the album, but only the closer manages to truly compel and satisfy the band’s desire to be deep and meaningful. The song, however, is more than enough to do so, as its almost 9 minutes are all beautifully crafted, being catchy and staggering at the right times.‘The Offering’ is a HUGE improvement over ‘Purgatory’, as it shows a band that’s more mature and less lost about what paths to take in their rendition of modern prog/power metal. Borealis has its flaws, but they’re a young band and actually did what most bands are afraid or too stubborn to do, which is take a few steps back in order to be better. All in all, it’s a fun and accessible album which fans of Evergrey, Kamelot, Pyramaze and such should check out without fear of falling into the trap that was their last output.

Line Up:

Matt Marinelli - Vocals, Guitars
Ken Fobert - Guitars
Trevor McBride - Bass
Sean Werlick - Keyboards
Sean Dowell - Drums

Tracklist:

01. The Fire Between Us
02. Sign of No Return
03. The Offering
04. River
05. The Second Son
06. The Devil's Hand
07. Into the Light
08. Scarlet Angel
09. The Awakening
10. The Path
11. Forever Lost
12. The Ghosts of Innocence




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Borealis - Illusions (Digipak Edition) (2022)













Year : 2022
Style : Melodic Power Metal , Melodic Heavy Metal
Country : Canada
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 117 mb

Bio:

With soaring vocals, lightning fast guitars and a rock solid backline, Borealis is bringing leather back, and dragging power metal up with it. It's been that way from the start for these 5 Canadian guys: all or nothing, and it shows in their music. Their self-produced debut 'World of Silence' has garnered attention from all angles of the industry, and word is just starting to get out.Starting out in 2005, Borealis wasn't supposed to sound as it does today. The first songs and live performances were done with a female opera singer. It was quickly realized that the possibilities were limited following that path, so they set out to find the right sound. During their search, enough songs were written to record an album, but there was no luck finding a singer. Finally, it was decided that Matt Marinelli (singer/guitarist) was a douche for not letting on that he could sing up until that point.With their new singer and an arsenal of songs, Borealis entered the studio, and after a long and endlessly drawn out time, World of Silence was unleashed. Having played locally with Kamelot, Epica, and Sonata Arctica with nothing to sell, patient fans were elated to finally get their hands on the album, and Borealis played a packed show with Edguy to support it.With a new partership with Intromental Management, Borealis can now take the next step towards reaching their goal. Just a short history of a band working to fill a tall order. Consisting of Sean Werlick (keys), Mike Briguglio (guitar), Sean Dowell (drums) and Jamie Smith (bass), along with the aformentioned Matt Marinelli, the top of the power metal scene is where these Canadians strive to be, and if there's only one certainty, it's that they won't stop until they're there."To me it was a chemistry that worked right away, ''World Of Silence'' is a power metal masterpiece, capturing the sheer essence of the genre and improving it by adding speed and progressive metal elements! Their sound can be described as being both expressive and melodic, especially in the keyboards and guitar sections as a result of harmonized layering. The vocals of guitar player Matt Marinelli are another point that lifts this band to a very high level. Yes, brothers and sisters; there's a new star born, heading from the west! This release is a blistering one for all those into Progressive Power Metal. Borealis is a band you should try out and believe me you won't be disappointed for one minute." - Officer Nice, Metal to Infinity (users.telenet.be/metaltoinfinity/METALTOINFINITY.htm)Musically Borealis leans towards the power metal sound, not too far removed from a band such as Evergrey or even Savatage in their prime, but also the more progressive bands like Vanden Plas or Dream Theater springs to mind here and there.Right now, with a worldwide management and booking deal signed with Intromental Management, Borealis are focusing on their next album, which also will be the first one released through a record label. Consisting of new songs as well as a few re-arranged and re-recorded songs chosen from 'World of Silence', the album will be a major step forward and will secure Borealis' place among the best bands in metal in 2009.

Album:

Power metal is generally known to be on the fun and upbeat side of the spectrum, when it comes to metal. It doesn’t always have to be, as it can sometimes get dark, atmospheric, or even a bit sad. One band that falls into this side of the genre is Canadian band Borealis, who I’ve been following since releasing their second full album, Fall From Grace, in 2011. Their sound has evolved quite subtly, but steadily over the years. the latest releases, all leading up to their fifth and final full release, Illusions, which is their most complex and epic release to date, as well as probably their best!As mentioned above, Borealis’ music falls on the darker side of the genre, somewhat along the lines of Evergrey, although they are generally a bit punchier and more energetic than the Swedish band, sometimes approaching the heaviness of Symphony X, especially on their previous albums. They started out as a power metal band, with fairly minor prog elements, but over their last few albums they’ve become more and more of a prog/power band, to the point that I would even say the elements of prog took over and became the main focus, while the power metal elements were still there, but not as dominant as before. I found their second album Fall from Grace to be a little strange in their discography, although it was my favorite, as it was by far the most guitar-driven, hard-hitting and straightforward album. they have done to date, despite excellent melodies and strong choruses. With their third album, Purgatory, the band began to dabble in the brand of modern, melodic prog/power metal they play today, and they continued to build on that sound steadily, with Illusions feeling as the next step in their evolution.Their previous album, The Offering, pushed me a bit, in the sense that I wasn’t too impressed at first, but over time I ended up liking it a lot. That’s not so much the case with Illusions, which I already enjoyed a lot on my first listen, although it only got better with each listen. Stylistically, it’s on the same territory as The Offer, with an emphasis on big melodies, powerful choruses, lots of moods and dark atmosphere, as well as increased use of symphonic elements, which sometimes evoke Serenity, with what scale and the arrangements can go up on certain tracks. At the same time, I find the music a little heavier here than on The Offering, and there are explosive power metal sections, especially on tracks like “Believer” and “Light of the Sun.” The musicians all do a great job as always, with certain riffs and melodic guitar solos in particular being excellent and strongly evoking Evergrey, while the production is top notch. Perhaps the album’s greatest highlight, however, is Matt Marinelli’s vocals, whose delivery falls somewhere between the gruff, powerful vocals of Russell Allen and the airier, softer, and deeply emotional vocals of Tom S. .England. He does a great job throughout the album, especially on the choruses, and he’s one of the main driving forces behind the songs.As is often the case, the one area where The Offer took a long time to grow on me was the songwriting, which I found a bit inconsistent at first. Over time, I ended up enjoying the majority of the album, although some tracks weren’t as strong as others. Illusions, however, is excellent from start to finish, with a few particular bits that hit me harder than others, but there are definitely no weak bits to be found here. After a brief but very nice intro track with beautiful singing vocals from Christine Hals, the opening track “Ashes Turn to Rain” kicks off the album in style. It’s a rather epic, slow-building track where the symphonic elements immediately kick in, accompanied by some crisp guitar riffs, which give way to an intense opening verse before everything settles in for a very beautiful melodic chorus, where Marinelli’s voice shines. It’s a fairly laid-back track overall, with bursts of heaviness, enhanced by excellent melodies, symphonic arrangements and a powerful chorus.Next is “My Fortress,” where the melodic guitars are instantly reminiscent of Evergrey, except with a slightly lighter tone. It’s a medium-paced, very melodic track with a slightly upbeat feel, and it has nice crisp riffs, to go along with the excellent vocals, another fantastic chorus, and a stunning guitar solo towards the end. It’s a great track overall, and probably my favorite from the first part of the album. Next is the first single “Pray for Water”, a slightly simpler and very melodic track with another excellent chorus, as well as a very cinematic feel to the symphonic arrangements. It’s a little lighter than the previous tracks, while having a slight advantage over the guitars. It’s the kind of track that’s pretty solid on its own, but fits really well into the full album and gives a good idea of ​​what to expect from the band.There are two ballads on the album, the first of which is “Burning Tears”, a very smooth track, with light guitar work and very nice ambient synths, performed by guest musician Vikram Shankar, who is also responsible for all orchestral arrangements throughout the album. It’s a really good track overall, with a great chorus, as well as great vocals, both from Marinelli and guest singer Lynsey Ward, that fit in perfectly and make a great duo partner.The tempo picks up considerably with “Believer”, the first track where the power metal elements begin to shine. It starts explosively, with very heavy riffs and intense drums, moving at a dazzling pace during the opening, before slowing down for the verses, which are more atmospheric and relaxed, giving way to a rather dark chorus, but still very melodic and beautiful. The track does a great job of alternating between slow and fast sections, with some of the instrumental parts being quite intense, while the vocal parts are generally calmer and more relaxed. It’s one of my favorites on the album, although it’s immediately topped by “Light of the Sun”, a track that almost sounds like the polar opposite, starting off quite slow and relaxed, with symphonic arrangements epic sounds that instantly evoke Serenity, and while it remains fairly quiet during the opening verse, the chorus is probably the heaviest, fastest and most intense sequence on the entire album, while still being as catchy and catchy as ever. melodic. The intensity is maintained throughout, with the second half in particular being fantastic. The track has some of the best guitar work on the entire album, as well as some rather flashy synths at times, and while the chorus itself is already great, the instrumental parts help make it my favorite on the album. album.Unsurprisingly, things calm down again with “Face of Reality”, the album’s second ballad. It’s more of a power ballad, with bursts of heaviness here and there, though it stays fairly slow and calm throughout, with great melodic guitars, powerful vocals and yet another great chorus, as well as an excellent solo in the second half. Next comes “Bury Me Alive”, another more upbeat track, with catchy keys, heavy riffs and a nice melodic chorus. It doesn’t quite reach the intensity of ‘Believer’ or ‘Light of the Sun’, but it’s a very fun track overall, with great instrumental work and a strong chorus. Next is “Abandon Hope,” which alternates nicely between heavy and quiet sections, with great melodic guitar work throughout. I don’t find it as memorable as some of the other tracks in the second half, but it’s a great track overall.Closing the album is the 11-minute epic “The Phantom Silence”, the sort of epic, slow-building track one would expect from a track of this length, although instead of being Divided into several parts, it just looks like a pretty single track piece, which happens to have an extended instrumental section in the middle and beginning. It is, however, a very epic track, with the symphonic arrangements being by far the best on the album, while the guitars are generally more relaxed, with quick bursts of heaviness here and there. The vocals are a definite highlight, with both lead and supporting vocals being fantastic, and the chorus being one of the strongest on the album. While it’s not as intricate as one might expect from an epic track, there’s still quite a bit going on, and it stays fresh and engaging throughout, without ever feeling as long as it does. it is (in fact, I’m still amazed at how quickly it goes.) It’s a great track overall, and it closes the album perfectly.I didn’t have the highest expectations for Illusions, as I wasn’t initially too impressed with some of the band’s previous work, but over time, their previous album The Offering grew on me a lot, and I can safe to say that this album takes everything that worked on this album and pushes it further, the epic symphonic arrangements being more impressive than ever, while the contrast between heavy guitars, beautiful melodies and excellent vocals remains as impressive as ever. Borealis have proven to be one of the most consistent bands when it comes to producing excellent dark power/prog metal, and this album is no exception, being perhaps their best work to date. Long-time fans should be very pleased with this album, and newcomers are highly recommended to get started with this album.

Line Up:

Matt Marinelli - Vocals, Guitars
Ken Fobert - Guitars (?-2010, 2017-present)
Aiden Watkinson - Bass (2022-present) - See also: Anahata, Unbowed, ex-Scorn
Sean Dowell - Drums

Tracklist:

01. Illusions (ft. Christine Hals)
02. Ashes Turn To Rain
03. My Fortress
04. Pray For Water
05. Burning Tears (ft. Lynsey Ward)
06. Believer
07. Light Of The Sun
08. Face Of Reality
09. Bury Me Alive
10. Abandon All Hope
11. The Phantom Silence




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