UREAS – The Black Heart Album (2015)

Danish outfit UREAS was founded in 1999 by Per and Heidi Johansson, starting as a Pop/Rock band but through the last 15 years their style turned heavier. After nine years from their debut record, Ureas are back with a refreshed line-up and a new CD to be released soon entitled “The Black Heart Album“.

Perhaps the name of Per Johansson doesn’t ring any bell on you ,but the vocalist is a well known musician in the Scandinavian scene having worked with several bands, being the most famous Fate.
He has recruited some excellent partners too for this Ureas 2015: great bass player Mike LePond (Symphony X), guitarist Reece Fullwood (Eumeria) and drummer Michael Pitman (Xerath).
Add to this the co-prodution, mix and mastering of the famed Danish Tommy Hansen (Pretty Maids, UDO, Doro, Gamma Ray and many more) and we have a more than solid combo.

Musically, “The Black Heart Album” is a wide-ranging album in terms of style, with progressive, melodic metal, some modern hard rock and a bit of a dark touch being words that can be used to describe it.
All is focused in melodic guitar riffs, strong (but not hard hitting) rhythm section and Per Johansson’s male vocals complemented by Heidi’s female harmonies.

Among the best cuts there’s the heavy “Seven Deadly Sins”, a trepidating metal cut yet highly melodic in the chorus, somehow reminding me Russell Allen. “Seal This Moment” is also in this vein yet more ‘mysterious’, more proggy and with a great guitar work.
“V For Victory” is metallic, melodic metal in the Euro style, while “It’s All Around Me” is prog metal with a very modern feel, even some sympho touches.
Ureas are more melodic and commercial in songs like opener “Hello”, the synth flavored “For Who You Are” where Heidi’s sweet vocals offer great contrast to Per’s raspiness, or the lullaby ballad “Epistula”.

Ureas “The Black Heart Album” is a very interesting product as delivers something new to the table. It mixes progressive, melodic metal, commercial sympho but all in pretty original way.
The album is really varied, with moments of bursting heavy guitars to slow, melancholic keyboards. This, at the same time, could be taken by many as the strength or the weakness of the record. For me, it’s what makes the band (and the album) interesting: not the same stuff all over again and again…
Perfectly recorded & mixed, Ureas “The Black Heart Album” well worth your attention.

01 – Hello
02 – Seven Deadly Sins
03 – Black Heart
04 – Seal This Moment
05 – V For Victory
06 – For Who You Are
07 – The Valley
08 – Shut The Fuck Up
09 – It’s All Around Me
10 – All Alone Am I
11 – Epistula

Per Johansson – Vocals, Keyboards
Heidi Johansson – Vocals, Keyboards
Jacob Hansen – Guitars
Reece Fullwood – guitars
Michael Pitman – Drums
Mike LePond – Bass

PRE-ORDER:
www.propermusic.com/product-details/Ureas-The-Black-Heart-Album-215460
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