VICTORIA K are from Melbourne, Australia and were formed in 2019 by vocalist Victoria Knight. Initially started as a solo project, the first solo album "Essentia" was re-released in 2020 after forming VICTORIA K. The symphonic Metal outfit did not waste any time and released further a live album/DVD. "Kore" is the second full-length album and has a length of about 51 minutes. It was produced by Lee Bradshaw, who also wrote the orchestral arrangements and it was released via Italian label Rockshots Records which has a number of Heavy, Power, and progressive Metal bands among their roster.

The album starts with a cinematic, tension-building intro which transitions into "Raptum", a song starting at a measured tempo with heavy guitar riffing and orchestral arrangements in the background. The vocals are focal point of the track. The voice of Victoria Knight is very powerful and has an impressive vocal range going from medium to very highly pitched notes. The melodies of the track have a lot of oriental vibes. It is a very good opener with the vocals driving and dominating the track. "Mother's Garden" starts with a quiet acoustic play alongside the vocals. It has ballad-esque features at the start, but quickly transitions into a track with heavy guitar riffing. The melodies have a certain darkness, they are almost melancholic. The orchestral arrangements are mainly in the background, with only the piano having a few distinctive parts to play. The guitars are driving the track alongside the vocals.

"The Child" is another track in a measured tempo. The orchestra is more dominant compared to the opening tracks, with the strings being in the focus together with the guitars. Highlight of the track is the acoustic break with Folk inspired melodies. "Persephone" has a heavy start with the drumming, the guitar riffing, and some crunching bass lines. It is a track more towards mid-tempo, but with a few twists in rhythm. Feature of the track are the vocals. Besides the clean female vocals, there are male growling vocals by Charlie Curnow, and both vocalists perform a cool duet. The melodies for the chorus are epic, and some of the vocal melodies have the Middle Eastern influence. "Persephone" is the central track as the album including its artwork is built around the goddess of fertility and the underworld of the ancient Greek mythology.

"A Divine Revelation" has a quiet, but powerful start. The song has slow and almost stomping rhythm, but with twists towards mid-tempo. The vocal lines for the chorus have catchiness in the melodies. Overall, "A Divine Revelation" has a more complex song structure. The female vocals have a lot of deeper notes compared to most songs on the album, showing the versatility of Victoria Knight. Towards the end, the female vocals have growling male vocal support ending up in an impressive duet. "Tower" starts with the female vocals, before heavy and powerful guitars take over alongside the growls of Charlie Curnow. It is a battle between the vocalists, and it is a battle between the vocal contrasts. "Tower" is driven by the guitars, bass lines, and drumming. The orchestral arrangements are very much in the background, and only the strings are notable at times. Victoria Knight uses a lot of deeper notes during the song, but also adds a few higher notes. The melodies have once again a lot of oriental vibes which is a central feature of the album. The longer the song goes on, the more the female vocals become dominant. "Tower" has been released as official video and the YouTube link is given below.

"Balsphemia" is arguably the heaviest track on the album, driven by tight guitar riffing and the growling vocals of Charlie Curnow. It is also the fastest track on the album, but with a few changes in tempo. The verse parts are the crushing parts of the track, while the chorus parts with the female vocals act as a counterpart. There is an abrupt change in the sound, introducing the break played at a slow pace with epic melodies. The transition back to the very much Death Metal inspired sound is likewise abrupt. There are almost no orchestral arrangements on "Balsphemia".

Starting with a traditional Greek Folk intro, "Pomegranate" develops into a heavy song, driven by the powerful guitar riffing and the Death Metal growls of Charlie Curnow. There are frequent changes in sound and tempo, and I felt at times, there were three songs in one. The female vocals cover once more the full vocal range. It is one of the most experimental songs on the album and again with almost no orchestral support. The final third of the album is driven by heaviness as the male growls become more and more dominant. "The Afterlife" is almost a headbanger with the orchestra and in particular the strings delivering valuable support. It is a good way to end the album as the final track "Epilogue" is an instrumental and quiet outro.

VICTORIA K release an excellent album. "Kore" is a concept album taken from the Greek mythology and it does not follow the common approach to symphonic Metal. It has a lot of elements from different genres and VICTORIA K are not afraid to experiment and to cross boundaries with the sound. The melodies have a lot of Middle Eastern influence and flashes of traditional Folk music shine through. All that makes the album unique and very interesting to listen to. Highlight of the album are the vocals of Victoria Knight whose vocal range, versatility, and power is remarkable. The variety in the sound of "Kore" is evidence for a very good and mature songwriting. The album is well produced. VICTORIA K lays out a serious marker and "Kore" is an album that should be part of the collection of symphonic Metal fans who are open to expect the unexpected.