FAIRYLAND – Osyrhianta (2020)
French symphonic / melodic metal outfit FAIRYLAND just released their new piece of work titled “Osyrhianta“. It is a prequel (supposedly taking place 3000 years before their debut) and introduces new singer Francesco Cavalieri (Wind Rose).
To further elucidate upon how Fairyland’s brand of metallic storytelling is accomplished, the formula dovetails with the swift, tremolo-riff dominated majesty that typified “Symphony Of Enchanted Lands” and “Legendary Tales”.
Though original Fairyland guitarist Anthony Parker brought a more Malmsteen-like shredding style to this outfit’s debut, six-string player Sylvain Cohen (Kerion) takes a more measured approach. Anyway, he is not slouch at putting together a noodling lead passage to rival Phil Giordana’s flowing nods to Jens Johansson.
That said, what gives Fairyland their unique flavor is the heavier emphasis on surrounding symphonic timbres to create a dense atmosphere that is further built up with massive choral lines.
It is very much a metal album, but when considering the more mid-paced and whimsical character of acoustic offerings like “Alone We Stand” and “The Age Of Light”, let alone the extended symphonic fanfare of “Mount Mirenor”, the metallic fervor is wont to take frequent breaks for something more along the lines of an epic film score.
Crushing anthems as “The Hidden Kingdom Of Eloran”, “Hubris Et Orbis” and even the gargantuan epic punchy “Of Hope And Despair In Osyrhia” (which includes some rather unsubtle musical quotations from Of Wars In Osyrhia) are sure to make any rabid sympho junkie check their calendar just to make sure the Y2K bug isn’t just around the corner.
On the other hand, the more gradually building thrill ride “Across The Snow” showcases this band’s ability to play off a more nuanced approach to the style, while the heavier track “Heralds Of The Green Lands” sees Cavaliera dropping his signature Russell Allen wail for his deeper dwarf baritone.
But when all is said and done, this album real brings things home with the slower duet between the aforementioned front man and original Fairyland female vocalist Elisa Martin “Eleandra”, taking the nostalgia factor to the max and still keeping the focus on superb melodic hooks and majestic atmospheres.
Every moment, every solitary note produced by each instrument on “Osyrhianta” is a link in a glorious chain of progression that keeps the listener always interested.
Whether this be the start of another golden age of releases for this band in relatively short order, or a spontaneous spark of brilliance in a career that may not prove to be heavily prolific, Fairyland has stolen the symphonic show in 2020 with this grand endeavor, and no folk, be they elf or man, should go without witnessing it.
01 – The Age of Birth
02 – Across the Snow
03 – The Hidden Kingdom of Eloran
04 – Eleandra
05 – Heralds of the Green Lands
06 – Alone We Stand
07 – Hubris Et Orbis
08 – Mount Mirenor
09 – Of Hope and Despair in Osyrhia
10 – The Age of Light
Francesco Cavalieri -/ Vox, choirs
Phil Giordana – Keys, choirs
Willdric Lievin – Bass, choirs
Sylvain Cohen – Guitars
JB Pol – Drums
Elisa Martin – guest vocals
BUY IT
www.deepdiscount.com/fairyland-osyrhianta/4028466911247
