PYTHIA is a five piece Symphonic Power Metal band from London, England. This is their 5th official release and first EP. It's also their first new material since 2019's ''The Solace of Ancient Earth''. ''V Pt. 1 : Unhallowed'' will be part of a trilogy from what I have heard and at the same time gives the fans something to listen to before the upcoming releases from the band. I am quite happy that a Symphonic Power Metal band has deferred from the operatic vocals (for once) to focus on the material at hand and not go on the same path as so many bands in the genre. You have a very powerful vocalist in Sophie Dorman that has some impressive range without being way too conventional.

I took the internet and it seems that many fans of the band were really attached to their previous singer, Emily Ovenden. The band went pretty much on hiatus after she left and many seem to have some resentment towards the band for replacing her. The whole situation reminds me of VISIONS OF ATLANTIS went they hired SERENITY's Clémentine Delaunay, the band was criticized for replacing Maxi Nil (or even Nicole Bogner before that). The fans did embrace the change after that but it took a while and I believe the fans of PYTHIA will come over and appreciate the change even though you had a very good singer like Emily Ovenden, Sophie Dorman does have a better range and physical presence in her voice.

''V Pt. 1: Unhallowed'' is an exercise in extreme symphonic power metal, placing a far heavier emphasis on the metallic side of the equation than much of what has been coming out of mainland Europe in this style of late. A good point of comparison would be the darker, more intense songs that occasionally make an appearance on XANDRIA's more recent outings, which in turn drew heavily from the darker and heavier elements.

Like I said beforehand, PYTHIA does a stellar job in easing the pain that a lot of NIGHTWISH fans of old are likely feeling due to the generally slow output of said pioneers of late, let alone the fact that they've largely eschewed the conventions of symphonic power metal in favor of something a bit slower and less aggressive for the past 15 years. I still believe EPICA are still at the top of the food chain in genre with VISIONS OF ATLANTIS with a close second but a band ,like PYTHIA has the real potential of being a power player in the genre and really start to make a name for themselves in the Symphonic Power Metal genre.