PROJECT ARCADIA - A Time Of Changes

October 24, 2014, 9 years ago

Nightmare Records

Kelley Simms

Rating: 8.0

review heavy metal project arcadia

PROJECT ARCADIA - A Time Of Changes

A Time Of Changes, the sophomore release from Bulgarian (plus one Swede) melodic metal band, Project Arcadia, is right on the money. Its 11 tracks, clocking in at 46 minutes, is a wonderful blend of power and prog metal. One of the most enduring things about Project Arcadia is the powerful presence of Swedish vocalist Urban Breed, who has notched some stellar efforts with Tad Morose, Bloodbound and Pyramaze. His amazing range is put through the test throughout the 11 tracks that make up A Time Of Changes. The songs are well-constructed with the right amount of complexity, while remaining fairly accessible. There’s loads of melody injected into each song, especially on the soaring choruses. “Here To Learn” kicks things off with a modulated female voice announcing,"You are now ready to descend,” followed by some frenetic tremolo  picking, strong melodies and a technical, proggy rhythm section. I snicker every time I read the title “The Ungrateful Child,” as it makes me think of my own children and how they act sometimes. Humor aside, it’s a melodic, creeping ballad. It’s not the best track on the album but it’s not just a throwaway either. “I Am Alive” gives off an ’80s ballad vibe of bands such as Scorpions, Dokken and Krokus. “Beggars At The Door”’s opening riff is a dead ringer for a Jake E. Lee riff. “Joy” is an acoustic guitar ballad with lightly-layered keyboard harmonies. It fits nicely in the middle of the album, giving a well-placed reprise from the electric pace of the previous tracks. CD-closer “Shadows Of The Night” utilizes more of the aforementioned ’80s metal influences and proves to be a great ending to an impressive and fresh-sounding release.



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