Label: Napalm Records
Review by Tony Cannella
The thing about Kamelot is that they have been so incredibly consistent throughout their career, which has spanned well over 20-years. The band returns with album number 12, “The Shadow Theory”. Having seen Kamelot live, I have witnessed what a great band they are and what a tremendous frontman Tommy Karevik is. The man can sing, no doubt, but he is also great at interacting with the crowd, he is one of the best. With “The Shadow Theory” is a band is on fire. Being that this is Femme Metal, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the two special guests on the record. And they are, Lauren Hart (Once Human) who provides vocals and growls on “Phantom Devine” and “Mindfall Remedy”. She is great and her vocals are definitely fantastic. Also on board is Jennifer Haben from the band Beyond the Black (in my opinion one of the most underrated bands on the planet, and one we should definitely be on the lookout for in the future). She duets with Tommy on the ballad “In Twilight Hours”, and the combination of these two great voices make this one of the highlights for me. “Kevlar Skin” is a gloriously heavy, straight-forward song and one of my favorite songs the band has recorded. Kamelot continues to bestow us with incredibly powerful and inspiring music. Even after all these years, “The Shadow Theory” is a vital and necessary addition to the band’s catalog. What more can I say? A new Kamelot record is always a joyous occasion for me and “The Shadow Theory” is another job well done!
Rating – 89/100
Tracklist
- The Mission
- Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire)
- RavenLight
- Amnesiac
- Burns to Embrace
- In Twilight Hours
- Kevlar Skin
- Static
- MindFall Remedy
- Stories Unheard
- Vespertine (My Crimson Bride)
- The Proud and the Broken
- Ministrium (Shadow Key)
Line Up
- Tommy Karevik – Vocals
- Lauren Hart – Vocals and growls on “Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire)”, growls on “MindFall Remedy” (Guest)
- Jennifer Haben – Vocals on “In Twilight Hours” (Guest)
- Thomas Youngblood – Guitars
- Sean Tibbetts – Bass
- Oliver Palotai – Keyboards, orchestral arrangements
- Johan Nunez – Drums, percussion
Links