Serious Black
Mirrorworld
AFM Records
2016
Hmm Serious Black (apparently a Harry Potter character, as I later found out, since I don’t follow that stuff) is an international band that was initially when ex-Visions of Atlantis bassist Mario Lochert and Roland Grappow met at a festival in Spain and decided to form a band; then making the numbers by drafting one Urban Breed (ex-Tad Morose and quite a few more), Thomen Stauch (ex-Blind Guardian) and a few other guys of somewhat lesser repose, but who fit the grand scheme of things. Although it’s a bad idea to change either a vocalist or a guitarist primarily, any lineup change could “hit” a band by changing the balance of power(s) and chemistry within it. Since their 2015 debut, “As Daylight Breaks”, Serious Black have suffered two, with both Roland and Thomen, departing to be substituted by Bob Katsionis (Firewind and others) and Alex Holzwarth (Sieges Even, Rhapsody etc.), who are flexible enough to fit the bill, but create a slightly different dynamic within the band, with their ideas and influence.
Don’t expect massive departures in style or substance, but somewhat differently nuanced “details”.
Urban is his usual good, which is a tall order by default, but sounds a little detached on a couple of the songs, maybe it’s them songs that don’t quite work, because I have a hard time thinking that he couldn’t have done them a bit more justice. I was really surprised to see a new album just a year after the band’s debut and with a tour having taken place in between and also taking into account the lineup changes and international character of the project. I suppose that upon completing a few of the “stronger” tracks, a bit of vanity crept in, to think that a solid album could be compiled that fast and while the band collectively almost pulls off to replicate the brilliance of their debut it marginally fails to match it completely.
“Breaking the Surface” is a typical symphonic intro leading to the power metal scorcher that “As Long As I’m Alive” is, that pretty much eclipses anything on the debut, no matter how much it treads the beaten path.
“Castor Skies” made my raise an eyebrow, until I figured out that because of Castor & Pollux the Twins from the Greek Mythology; this refers to the Gemini constellation in a sci-fi epic that works well…
“Heartbroken Soul” is an emotive half ballad as is “Dying Hearts” but both don’t really hit the mark quite… leaving Breed to try and shoulder all the weight on his own… yeah there’s a nice solo on the latter and all, but overall they could be a bit better.
“You’re Not Alone” tries to be another anthem and this time, it’s a win, mainly because the band has Urban to give its choruses that extra oomph, to rise above mediocrity along with some phrases of the solo, but not its entirety.
“Mirrorworld”, the title track, tries to be conceptual, but in its mid-tempo. It’s mostly salvaged by a nice riff here, a decent solo there and Urban putting in an extra mile.
“Emotional Blackmail” is one of the numerous “bonuses”… (well 7 of them?! On the Digi-version?!) like getting another “half record or something WTF, AFM?! This reminds me a bit of Symphony X’s “Iconoclast”, where if you wanted the full album you had to get the oblong digi, or a Japanese import and that was that. It’s a decent ballad, by the way…
“The Life That You Want” is a nice enough mid-tempo composition and another of the “bonuses”, with a winner of a chorus” but somewhat mediocre verses.
“State of My Despair” a swift and good number and “The Unborn Never Die” (huh ?!) with its biting nature are both “normal tracks” with the latter feeling a little weird as a closing statement...
“This Machine is Broken” (a digi-bonus) that’s a mediocre, under-developed number that feels a lot more like a hastily finished jam that’s a lot more loose and laxed, despite the band’s best efforts to present it as a proper track.
“Hello Moon” is another digipak bonus and again it’s a so and so track, with some better vocal melodies, but decidedly second rate.
“Goodbye My Angel”, yet another digipak bonus, is a decent ballad that somewhat feels out of “place” on the album, a nice track that maybe should have been reserved for another project, imho. Urban shines quite a bit on this one, without even trying.
Lastly there are 2 acoustic versions of “I Show You My Heart” and “Sealing My Fate” from the debut and as you might have guessed it they are digipak bonuses” as well... and what can I say, they are “acoustic”…
A decent sophomore, but the “digi-only” bonuses policy as well as the somewhat disjointed, uneven nature of this, make it a bit underwhelming, especially when compared with the more solid debut. You know, take another year to do the next album justice guys, cause it’s sad to be coming second in a race against yourself…
While “Mirrorworld” could have easily eclipsed the debut, it just doesn’t manage to do so, bogged down by the many “bonuses” and the somewhat uneven nature of its latter part. Still a good band and a fair record, worth checking out, if you like melodic power metal.
Don’t expect massive departures in style or substance, but somewhat differently nuanced “details”.
Urban is his usual good, which is a tall order by default, but sounds a little detached on a couple of the songs, maybe it’s them songs that don’t quite work, because I have a hard time thinking that he couldn’t have done them a bit more justice. I was really surprised to see a new album just a year after the band’s debut and with a tour having taken place in between and also taking into account the lineup changes and international character of the project. I suppose that upon completing a few of the “stronger” tracks, a bit of vanity crept in, to think that a solid album could be compiled that fast and while the band collectively almost pulls off to replicate the brilliance of their debut it marginally fails to match it completely.
“Breaking the Surface” is a typical symphonic intro leading to the power metal scorcher that “As Long As I’m Alive” is, that pretty much eclipses anything on the debut, no matter how much it treads the beaten path.
“Castor Skies” made my raise an eyebrow, until I figured out that because of Castor & Pollux the Twins from the Greek Mythology; this refers to the Gemini constellation in a sci-fi epic that works well…
“Heartbroken Soul” is an emotive half ballad as is “Dying Hearts” but both don’t really hit the mark quite… leaving Breed to try and shoulder all the weight on his own… yeah there’s a nice solo on the latter and all, but overall they could be a bit better.
“You’re Not Alone” tries to be another anthem and this time, it’s a win, mainly because the band has Urban to give its choruses that extra oomph, to rise above mediocrity along with some phrases of the solo, but not its entirety.
“Mirrorworld”, the title track, tries to be conceptual, but in its mid-tempo. It’s mostly salvaged by a nice riff here, a decent solo there and Urban putting in an extra mile.
“Emotional Blackmail” is one of the numerous “bonuses”… (well 7 of them?! On the Digi-version?!) like getting another “half record or something WTF, AFM?! This reminds me a bit of Symphony X’s “Iconoclast”, where if you wanted the full album you had to get the oblong digi, or a Japanese import and that was that. It’s a decent ballad, by the way…
“The Life That You Want” is a nice enough mid-tempo composition and another of the “bonuses”, with a winner of a chorus” but somewhat mediocre verses.
“State of My Despair” a swift and good number and “The Unborn Never Die” (huh ?!) with its biting nature are both “normal tracks” with the latter feeling a little weird as a closing statement...
“This Machine is Broken” (a digi-bonus) that’s a mediocre, under-developed number that feels a lot more like a hastily finished jam that’s a lot more loose and laxed, despite the band’s best efforts to present it as a proper track.
“Hello Moon” is another digipak bonus and again it’s a so and so track, with some better vocal melodies, but decidedly second rate.
“Goodbye My Angel”, yet another digipak bonus, is a decent ballad that somewhat feels out of “place” on the album, a nice track that maybe should have been reserved for another project, imho. Urban shines quite a bit on this one, without even trying.
Lastly there are 2 acoustic versions of “I Show You My Heart” and “Sealing My Fate” from the debut and as you might have guessed it they are digipak bonuses” as well... and what can I say, they are “acoustic”…
A decent sophomore, but the “digi-only” bonuses policy as well as the somewhat disjointed, uneven nature of this, make it a bit underwhelming, especially when compared with the more solid debut. You know, take another year to do the next album justice guys, cause it’s sad to be coming second in a race against yourself…
While “Mirrorworld” could have easily eclipsed the debut, it just doesn’t manage to do so, bogged down by the many “bonuses” and the somewhat uneven nature of its latter part. Still a good band and a fair record, worth checking out, if you like melodic power metal.