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Sometimes, there are albums that I really want to give a
higher score, but part of me keeps this from happening. Amaze Knight’s debut
album, “The Key” is one such album. There is so much good in this album, but
there is also much that needs polish. This is a debut album, after all. I think the best way to convey this album’s value is simply to
list the good and bad, so here goes. First, the good: These musicians are
absolutely outstanding in every way. I was blown away by the technical ability
and also the maturity in restraint that these guys display here. The
compositions are incredibly well structured, and the songs are genuinely
interesting. Each and every one. The music shows off a huge range of eclectic
influences---this impressed me a lot. I hear some Riverside, some Haken, and
also the more common Dream Theater influence. Yet, I also hear a purely
classical influence (shown especially in the fantastic piano), some rock
progressivo Italiano (which makes sense since they are from Italy), and some
neo-prog atmospheres. This seems like a ton to put into one album, but these
guys completely pull it off flawlessly. Musically, this album is top-notch. Now, the bad: I have a major issue with the vox on this album. Don’t get me wrong: the singer is talented and, with a little work, could be great. However, these guys have a serious handicap with the English language. Misplaced modifiers and missing articles are just the tip of the iceberg that really drags down my enjoyment of this album. It irks me all the more because the concepts in the album are quite savory, and the theme of the liberation of the human spirit is something I really appreciate: Yet, I can barely make out the lyrics. Honestly, the album features far more instrumental portions than vox passages, but I still cannot forgive these errors. I also feel like the singer needs some more practice in singing with such complex music. However, overall, I think that more work with the English language and just more practice in general could yield some acceptable results. In conclusion, Amaze Knight’s debut effort is certainly worth your time and will certainly surprise you. There are some rough edges, but I think these can be ironed out eventually. | ||||||||||||||||||
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