Sons of Seasons - Gods of Vermin (2009)

Sons of Seasons is a new project formed by keyboardist Oliver Palotai (Kamelot, Circle II Circle, Blaze, etc) with an emphasis on a darker side to power-prog. If ever there were a truly 'gothic' flavor to progressive metal, it would sound a lot like this. The song structures are familiar, with lots of excellent keyboard playing, and a constant interplay between metallic grooves and softer prog rock tones. The result isn't the most memorable, but he's assembled a good lineup and there are some flashes of brilliance in a few tracks.

Metalium's air raid siren Henning Basse handles the vocal tracks, and he does so with a grittier edge than normal. There are still the hints of his crystalline delivery which he subtly supplants throughout the material, but for the most part he remains in a lower register that better suits the concept. Silent Force bassist Jürgen Steinmetz and former Blaze skin-beater Daniel Schild flesh out the lineup, and together they wander across a dozen tracks of introspective, melodic and razor edged metal. There is a lot of piano here, but Palotai excels at atmosphere and the intro "The Place Where I Hide" sets the tone for the entirety of the album. The title track "Gods of Vermin" runs the gamut of material from the heavier verse riffs to the quiet breakdowns and a big chorus where Basse busts out the mid-ranged pipes. I found some of the better tracks on the album to be its most ferocious, like the blazing "Belial's Tower" or "Dead Man's Shadow", but the band can incorporate balladry or epic, slower moving numbers such as "Third Moon Rising" to great effect, and the album balances its delivery enough from track to track that one never becomes bored. There is an occasional use of vocal layering or female vocals which present themselves nicely. The themes of the songs fall on historical subjects or the madness of men and civilization.

I don't have many complaints. The album simmers in a top notch professional mix, though the guitars could use a little more crunch to liven things up (keeping in mind that Palotai is not foremost a guitar player). Certain tracks are a lot catchier than others, but the album is consistent to its theme, you feel this almost insane asylum aesthetic throughout which recalls Savatage, Circle II Circle, Evergrey and other brooding conceptual prog/metal bands. Sons of Seasons are pretty original, this should work in their favor if they continue this project. Gods of Vermin may not be a masterpiece debut, but it wears its effort and talent on its sleeve. If you're seeking out some new prog metal and favor the sounds of any band I listed in this review, give it a listen.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.sonsofseasons.com/