Ecliptica - 'Impetus'

With a good singer, this album could have been so much better.

I really hate being critical in my reviews but sometimes it's needed. The two now ex-vocalists (Thank God) Bernie Scholz and especially Elisabeth Fangmeyer, spoiled for me what could have been a very good album. Bernie was very one dimensional in his delivery but it was Elisabeth who just couldn't hit the notes, and when you’re trying to play music in the same league as Edenbridge, Sirenia and Visions Of Atlantis, having a singer without the power or range to do this just isn't a good idea at all.

This is a shame because for the most part the music is very good, full of clever arrangements and strong musicianship, especially the guitar of 'Markus Winkler' and the keyboards of Andreas Frost. They also show good songwriting skills, check out 'Land Of Silence', 'Jester In The Ballroom', 'Black Swan' and 'Twilight Hall', for proof of this. It's just such a shame that music of this type/genre, which needs big over the top vocalists, hasn't got them on this album but the ones it does have, really let the side down.



So maybe someone out there in rock world will like this album? I'm sorry to say that it just left me cold and that is solely down to the poor vocals. With a good singer, this album could have been so much better.

Ian Johnson.