To all our female-fronted fans, may I humbly suggest that the colour black is in this season.
This marks a bit of a milestone for me with 'The Big F'. It's the first time I've had chance to review a follow up where I have previously reviewed the debut. If Arven originally passed you by they are a female fronted sextet from Frankfurt whose style is Melodic Metal with a Classical twist. Their 2011 debut 'Music Of Light' was a favourite from my early FW days so I was pleased to get my hands on their sophomore effort 'Black Is The Colour'.
Despite Arven's first album being technically first class it was also quite absorbable and this second release is no different. For anyone looking for a comparison I'd say this is a mixture of Edenbridge, Lyriel and Leaves Eyes less Mr Krull as there's no growling. There are three highlight songs that are also the best examples of this interesting Arven sound. The instrumental 'Cercle D'Emeraude' features lots of tinkering piano, dancing violin and varied paced, thick guitar. Another has to be the complex and atmospheric 'My Fall' which is packed with musical 'fireworks' and displays both the Classical and Metal sides of the band with true force and feeling. The last of this trio shows Arven can be as funky as they are cultured. 'The One For Me' is a duet featuring Stefan Schmidt (Van Canto) that includes a highly infectious chorus with both vocalists in tandem as a groovy revolving riff swirls around with the synth. 'Black...' has other gems like the all out rocker 'Believe', the enchanting cascading choral line of 'Rainsong' and the crunching guitar progression of 'Don't Look Back'. The limited edition closes out with two Irish Folk covers; 'Ride On' is mostly composed of piano and acoustic guitar with breathy vocals whilst 'Black Is The Colour' is a true folk song with a foundation of acoustic guitar and violin along with traditional vocals.
I thought 'Music' was an excellent album that showed plenty of promise and I'm happy to say 'Black...' is even better. This endeavour shows real progress and steps towards fulfilling their massive potential. Arven have evolved their sound giving it a darker feel and more guts through the use of heavier guitar riffs although the axe work remains crisp and clear despite the extra density. The traditional instruments and folk arrangements don't feature as prominently as before but this allows more space for the keys and piano to shine. One constant that remains is the lush and elegant soprano vocals from Carina Hanselmann. She's a captivating and emotional singer that has also grown in range and power. Even though this didn't quite turn me into a gibbering wreck like some releases this year, I still absolutely love 'Black...' and can easily listen to this beautiful record on repeat.
To all our female-fronted fans, may I humbly suggest that the colour black is in this season.
Dave Scott
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