Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
The symphonic metal band Midnight Sorrow formed in their home country of France in 2011. In 2014, they released their debut EP titled (appropriately enough) “At First”. Midnight Sorrow have just released their debut full-length “Pick a Tale” and here it is in all its majestic, symphonic metal glory. The vocals of Maureen are very good. She provides strong operatic vocals, but they are not over-the-top operatic vocals. She is not merely doing vocal gymnastics, she knows when to dial it down and it fits the music like the proverbial glove. Some male “growly” vocals are added as well, but not in overabundance; just here and there and they are a fine addition to what it is already strong material. Now, on to the songs on “Pick a Tale”: it offers a fine mix of tunes with a cinematic, symphonic metal style with songs that are more guitar-driven and heavy. I would compare them to Nightwish in their style and presentation, as well in the lyrical style of their songs. “Pick a Tale” features 13-songs and over an hour’s worth of high quality, beautiful sounding material. The intro “Preludes of the Night” creates a beautiful vibe and segues us into the up-tempo “Glorious”. This song just charges out of the gate with the two vocalists displaying some great chemistry together and the song itself is one of the best on this album. “Pick a Tale” marches on with some great songs. A Few that really became favorites of mine: “Between Sun and Moon”, “Lost For Eternity”, “Phaze” and the 11-minute epic “Treasure of Your Life”. “Pick a Tale” is a fantastic debut and one that I think manages to stand out from the crowded symphonic metal pack, while still staying true to what fans of the genre have come to love and expect. It is a difficult line to walk and Midnight Sorrow does it so effortlessly. So, in conclusion, is “Pick a Tale” worth the time? F’n a right it is.
Rating – 95/100
Tracklist
- Preludes of the Night
- Glorious
- Between Sun and Moon (Remix)
- Lost For Eternity
- Black Snow
- Number 6
- Crystal Drop (Remix)
- Waterfall (Remix)
- At First (Remix)
- The Place
- Phaze
- Treasure of Your Life (Pt. I Golden Seas / Pt. 2 Dark Depths)
- A Last Ceremony
Line Up
- Maureen Morvan – Vocals
- Samuel Stammbach – Guitar
- Nicolas Mickaël – Keyboards
- William Simon – Bass
- Stéphane Perrier – Drums
Links
facebook.com/midnightsorrowband