Helena Michaelsen returns with the second release of IMPERIA, the countermeasure band she formed after her departure from TRAIL OF TEARS. Have you noticed that all female fronted metal goth acts out there end with an IA in their name (SIRENIA, TRISTANIA etc.)?
Now that's a distinct mark of recognition. Let's say that you are a grindcore fan and visit a metal store. You pick up two albums - the one comes from a band named CORPSE INFESTED FUNGUS FROM ANUS and the other from a random named finish with an IA band. Both bands are totally unknown to you. Which one would you choose?
OK enough with the melodic grindcore jokes. IMPERIA is quite metallic compared with other fellow bands. In fact several songs in here could easily fit in a Europower metal band's album. Not bad huh? Indeed there are a lot of heavy moments in this work - one can say that this brings in mind the earlier days of NIGHTWISH (when they where NOT so pompous as they are today).
Of course the whole project rotates around the distinct voice of Helena. This gal can really sing, Helena's vocal abilities are incredible since she can sing with different tones. Her voice is quite multileveled. A word to the wise is to ask all of you to check out her solo release as ANGEL in order to fully understand her abilities.
Queen Of Light is packed with great production, quite warm and thick giving additional tension to the symphonic parts of the album. All in all this is a work that will satisfy the fans of the genre.