I bet that the term Symphonic Metal brings to your mind bands like the early NIGHTWISH, EPICA and WITHIN TEMPTATION that are also comprise female singers. This was exactly my way of thinking when I read the first lines of AUSPEX's biography. In order to be more precise and honest I thought not another female fronted band that wants to be NIGHTWISH. Fortunately, the band from French did not affirm 100% my initial assumptions.
The intention to combine orchestral and Metal music was the reason that gave birth to AUSPEX back in 2001. Their debut release was in the form of a mini CD that saw the light of the day in 2006 with the title Mysteries Of The Stars. After the rather careless intro Time To Make A Stand makes a glorious ala RHAPSODY OF FIRE with operatic vocals and catchy guitar riffs. The female vocals are in some way different than usual soprano ones and this caught my attention for the very beginning. The rest of the song features high skilled guitars and keyboards that are not something groundbreaking here. Theater Of Pain is a guitar driven song that leans towards the Heavy Metal patterns with a fast tempo and less symphonic parts apart from the break in the middle. Mrs Buchonnet's especial voice timbre fall into the love or hate situation and I belong to the first one. The song features an at least interesting almost electronic/ambient break that says more about the band's intentions to play unrestricted music to the usual boundaries. The Progressive Metal finishing touches make the album even more enticing in songs like Lost Academy, the keyboard based  A King's Crown For A Wealthy or the theatrical Celestia.
In order to sink your teeth on this album you have to pass successfully the first audition. The nine tracks of  Resolutio have more to give to the listener but this can happen after additional CD spins. AUSPEX have a pretty different approach to already burned out Symphonic Metal scene that in some point reminded me my love to this genre. The question is whether AUSPEX can progress from here and truly reveal their original ideas that are scattered in Resolutio. I will definitely keep an eye/ear on them!