Talk about a name from the past that crops back up again, excitedly. I received LETALLIS’s debut album to review in 2015 and didn’t have much in the way of expectations, but I was impressed by many of the elements on the album and the band’s musicianship. Effectively a one-man band, with Jake Calonius performing and writing all of the music, LETALLIS is back with their latest EP titled, “A Thousand and One Nights – Chapter One.” The EP has five songs.

“Merchant” is first. The opening tones are quiet and peaceful, before they take shape with Middle Eastern influences. True to the title of the album, the music transports you to an ancient time of kings and heroes. A hardened riff enters, with harsh vocals, the mood darkens, and the song ends abruptly. “Palace” is under a minute in length, and features some of the same tones and feelings of the previous song, yet there is also an air of mystery. The title track picks up with weight, aggression, and melody. It stays in this general area for the remainder of the song. “Thief” is as dark and hardened from what you might expect from the title of the song. Harsh vocals push anger and aggression and the guitar work is excellent.

“The Vizier and the Sage” closes the album, and it’s an eight minute opus. It begins with smooth, mellow tones, as some grey skies and wind enter. You can feel the tension in the air, and the clean vocal harmonies are easy on the ears. All of the sudden, harsh vocals spring forth and the storm that was on the horizon is here. The sound then melts a little so that both of the elements are joined more naturally. Overall, I liked the album, and would definitely be interested in hearing more of the tale…Chapter Two if you will. Jake is an accomplished musician and singer, and his effort are reflected in the album.