VAN CANTO – Voices Of Fire (2016)

VAN CANTO is a strange beast; vocal metal (?) they say… I never been fan of their past works, but their new effort “Voices Of Fire” to be released tomorrow has changed that as it’s a very enjoyable – and quite original – album.
This new record is some kind of a rock (vocal) opera, and Van Canto have teamed up with German author Christoph Hardebusch, who has come up with the story line based on his new fantasy novel ‘Feuerstimmen’.
They have also enlisted the London Metro Voices (who can be heard on ‘The Lord of the Rings’ soundtracks) to give a full choral sound to the music. There has been a line-up change since the last album with bass vocalist Ingo Sterzinger replaced by Jan Moritz.

If you never have listened Van Canto, apart from the regular vocals, they emulate electric guitar & bass with voices, being the only real musical instrument here the drums.
It truly is remarkable what one drummer, five vocalists and an author can accomplish.
The outcome? A grand impact of exhilaration that has the listener so immersed into a parallel universe, that they don’t want to think about anything else.

On “Voices Of Fire” there is narration to fill in the story behind the songs, and then, apart from the drums, everything done by the very talented vocalists. This is epic metal and then some.
Opening track “Clashings On Armour Plates” sets the majestic tone, it demonstrates Van Canto at their best not only vocally but their ability to tell epic tales. This track contains thunderous drums and a magnificent chorus of voices from London Metro Voices.

The album is the ideal soundtrack to an epic fantasy; every track should be listened with the volume turned all the way up to eleven. This way the listener experiences the sheer power and epicness of the record; tracks such as latest single “The Bardcall”, “Firevows (Join The Journey)”, “Battleday’s Dawn” and ”Time And Time Again” are just a few examples of this heroic feature.

“Voices Of Fire” is a bold step by Van Canto and one they needed to make given that the voices as instruments only works for so long, especially after the novelty factor of their cover versions wears off.
They have opened up a whole new musical arena for themselves adding in the choirs and having a proper choral/symphonic sound that other bands would love.

01 – Prologue
02 – Clashings On Armour Plates
03 – Dragonwake
04 – Time and Time Again
05 – All My Life
06 – Battleday’s Dawn
07 – Firevows (Join the Journey)
08 – The Oracle
09 – The Betrayal
10 – We Are One
11 – The Bardcall
12 – To Catharsis
13 – Epilogue

Inga Scharf – Lead Voice
Dennis “Sly” Schunke – Lead Voice
Ross Thompson – Higher Rakkatakka Voice
Stephen Schmidt – Lower Rakkatakka Voice
Jan Moritz – Bass Voice
Bastian Emig – Drums

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