TRIOSPHERE – The Heart Of The Matter (2014)
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Norwegians TRIOSPHERE have been patiently working on their massive recognition carefully crafting their music albums and touring with major acts like Arch Enemy and Kamelot. “The Heart Of The Matter” is their fourth CD to be released in few days, and I think it will establish the band as a really important name in the Rock / Metal music industry.
The band from Trondheim, Norway was founded in 2004 by female singer Ida Haukland, who also plays bass, Marius Silver Bergesen on guitar and drummer Ørjan Aare Jørgensen. All three founding members are still part of the band that is completed by guitarist Tor Ole Byberg.
TrioSphere is basically prog metal, but this is not just another female fronted band in the genre with Nightwish in mind. Not at all, there’s no operistic here, nor modernity.
“The Heart Of The Matter” is traditional prog metal with a pinch of power on some drumming, but a lot of melodic metal and the heavy side of hard rock as a musical foundation. Additionally, Ida Haukland does not have the typical female vocal register for the genre.
In fact, after the first song you barely notice that there’s a woman singing. Ida’s raspy, groovy but at the same time melodic pipes are really strong, and truly distinctive.
The music of Triosphere is layered and includes heavy riffs and dynamic powerful chords, while the melody is another constant factor that give the songs a certain catchiness.
Building from the heavy opening track “My Fortress” and the really good “Steal Away the Light” the album takes slows to the wonderfully crafted “Breathless”.
“Departure” is probably one of my favorite tracks because the guitar work is sublime, everything perfectly measured and stays the right side of showing off the chops that the band are capable of without being self-indulgent.
“The Heart’s Dominion” signals a change in the pace and tone of the album, to a more aggressive prog with elaborated arrangements, however very accessible. “As I Call” is inspired by classic Euro metal from decades, and then “Relentless” made justice to its name as its the more heavy track on the record, really fast paced.
“The Sphere” is another favorite, with that traditional hard rock smell yet wrapped by layers of busy instrumentation, while the semi-acoustic, calm “Virgin Ground” wraps the record in great form.
“The Heart Of The Matter” is a really solid prog metal album, and TrioSphere quite different from the usual female-fronted act in the genre.
Ida Haukland not only has a fantastic voice, she always try to sing like ‘a vocalist’ and not like ‘a female vocalist’. Perhaps this is why she is so refreshing. But Ida is also a pretty mean guitarist and this is a combination rarely seen in the women of Metal.
Her vocals are truly well complemented by the rest of the band each of the members is engaging and talented and together they sound like an incredibly cohesive unit capable of delivering some serious sound.
In TrioSphere there is a determination and focus that is present where a lot of bands could learn from. There are no filler tracks on the album. Even the songs that don’t hit you straight away grow on you the next time you listen to them.
“The Heart Of The Matter” may have taken four years to come to fruition but that time has been used wisely to hone and craft an album that will make a lot of people take notice.
Strongly Recommended.
01 – My Fortress
02 – Steal Away the Light
03 – The Sentinel
04 – Breathless
05 – Departure
06 – The Heart’s Dominion
07 – As I Call
08 – Relentless
09 – The Sphere
10 – Remedy
11 – Storyteller
12 – Virgin Ground
Ida Haukland – Vocals, Bass
Marius Silver Bergesen – Guitar
Tor Ole Byberg – Guitar
Ørjan Aare Jørgensen – Drums
PRE-ORDER:
www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Matter-Triosphere/dp/B00NPD0ZTA
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