With each subsequent release, symphonic/power/progressive Canadian group SOLARUS seems to be getting better and better, with their latest "A Dance with Tragedy" released last December being arguably their strongest. Initially only existing as a personal project in 2015 started by guitarist Lucas McArthur with a full album "Reunion" written before any other members joined. He soon started gaining dedicated musicians, but a vocalist was one of the final pieces of the puzzle. Even after trying out seven vocalist, Sarah Dee sent in a thirty second track that convinced him, despite not necessarily intending to hire a female vocalist. Thankfully, Dee has become a prominent and enthusiastic member ever since. While their first album was a concept album that dealt with tragic death and a sort of reuniting in the afterlife, second album "Darkest Days" was a bit more experimental while still dealing in themes of the human condition and struggle. This time around, writing with the whole band, there was a different energy and gave Dee the perfect platform to let her voice soar.

A lot of the work for "A Dance with Tragedy" started remotely since vocalist Dee lives three hours from the band. They seem to have a working relationship down between McArthur and Dee in which the former provides the instrumental bedrock and musical underpinnings and then they collaborate on the overall direction, melodies and vocals. Whether it was exacerbated by the pandemic or internal struggles, the band lost their bassist and drummer and had to recruit new players. Thankfully most of the writing was handled by both McArthur and Dee while guitarist Troy Longe provided some guitar work on the side for miscellaneous guitars solos and other pickup work. McArthur admits, "I took on a much heavier role, writing all the instrumentation instead of just the guitars and relying on the expertise of session musicians and producers to help SOLARUS grow into that full sound. This time around, it was a very much do it yourself recording process as well as a do it yourself writing process."

Rarely do I come across a band that have female vocals with such bombast and energy that it rivals most veteran power metal bands. "A Dance with Tragedy" hits hard from the start, seeing SOLARUS hit with intensity throughout the entire runtime until the latter half where - for maybe a song or two - they ballad up a bit but even the epic ending track "This Journey That Yet Remains" not only promises more to come, but leaves you longing for it as well. I could talk about the improvements in solos, compositional arrangement, etc. but the truth is., after listening to their back catalog throughout the week, they have always had this album in them and they were finally able to achieve what is the current pinnacle for a band of this style. Bravo! The MESSUGGAH-like off-time chugging in "Shades of Truth" first showed a heavier and more thinking man's metal before the rest of the album unfolded. Then you're treated to "The Keeper" which would seem right at home on a DREAM THEATER album with the twists and turns at a breakneck speed. Sarah Dee's vocals shine on the title track "A Dance with Tragedy" holding her own in a duet with metal vocalist veteran Vicky Psarakis of THE AGONIST as the former joins in her distinctive growl/scream style. For a band that is only six years into their career, SOLARUS could easily be a top tier band in their style if they continue putting out albums like "A Dance with Tragedy".