ARCHON ANGEL – II (2023)
Out next Friday on Frontiers Music Srl, “II” is the title of ARCHON ANGEL‘s second album. It follows the band’s 2020 debut, “Fallen”, which saw vocalist Zak Stevens (Circle II Circle, Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) and producer / guitarist Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Edge Of Forever) delivering a fantastic slab of melodic progressive metal. Fans of Archon Angel’s debut will surely find no sophomore slump awaits them on “II”. In fact, the two have locked in on all the key parts that worked so well on their debut and amplified and perfected them for this glorious follow-up.
It’s a real pleasure to hear Zak Stevens again and in such good form, and he shines all over this very well written / arranged new material.
The seeds of Archon Angel were planted when producer/guitarist Lonobile and vocalist Stevens were collaborating on songs for Timo Tolkki’s Avalon’s ‘Return To Eden’ album, which Aldo produced and played guitar on, and Zak did some guest lead vocals for. After some discussions about what musical direction they wanted to take, Aldo sent Zak some demos that were reminiscent of classic Savatage records like Edge Of Thorns and Gutter Ballet. The two felt they were onto something and followed their musical muse, ultimately culminating in what would become Archon Angel’s debut album, “Fallen”.
Kicking it off, we have Zak’s phenomenal voice being the first thing we hear after a single piano note. On that note, let’s take a moment to appreciate the amazing piano artistry this record has. They are present throughout, but really stand out on certain tracks, such as this first one. There’s layered vocal effect over the lead, creating great atmosphere.
One thing to make clear is that there’s obvious Savatage elements, but this is not Savatage 2.0. Songs like “Avenging the Dragon” have heavy riffs, crushing drums, a solo that would make Criss Oliva proud, and even bells that combined feel like they could easily have been a lost Savatage track.
Then there are tracks such as “Afterburn” and “Shattered” that have a sound all of their own. It’s clear that while Aldo might have some inspiration, he has crafted a tone that is exceptionally his.
ARCHON ANGEL ”II” is a highly enjoyable album filled with soaring guitar solos, pounding drums, thumping bass (which can be clearly heard, but a bit more prominence going forward would be welcome), and riffs that hook you in and get stuck in your head. Zak’s unique and tranquilizing vocal style is hallmark and intrinsic to what makes this a striking release.
In addition to the amazing performances, this record boasts top-notch production that allows you to hear every instrument clearly, while not sounding overly produced.
Highly Recommended
1. Wake Of Emptiness
2. Avenging The Dragon
3. Fortress
4. Quicksand
5. Away From The Sun
6. Afterburn
7. I Will Return
8. One Last Reflection
9. Bulletproof
10. Shattered
11. Lake Of Fire
Vocals: Zak Stevens
Guitars: Aldo Lonobile
Bass: Nik Mazzucconi
Drums: Marco Lazzarini
Keyboards & Piano: Alessandro Del Vecchio
Synth & Orchestral Arrangements: Antonio Agate
Pre order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Ii-Archon-Angel/dp/B0BSLS9ZLF
