Swiss band Felony go way back to 1992, but only keyboard player Markus Geiger and bass player Thomas Brogli still remain from the original lineup. This is actually their first album release, and the band is still looking for a record company to strike a deal with them.
First Works is an exciting, but an unusual and maybe even somewhat complex album. It starts off with the song “An Introduction to …,” a song that instantly gives the feeling of being from the soundtrack to a Cirque De Soleil show. Beautiful, but oh so not Metal!
The next song, “What A Felony,” gives hints of Helloween or maybe Arcturus influences, only with even more excessive use of the orchestra and psycho-keyboards. This song has a dull chorus, but high points for the use of the female voice delivered by singer Andrea Richner, who sings on almost all the songs on this album, and is the newest member of the band.
“Say Goodbye” is an up-tempo song with lots of energy and a catchy chorus. Both singers, Andrea Richner and mainman Andreas Wildi, have raw and sexy voices on this tune. It almost sounds like they just woke up. The backing vocals sound like a fantastic choir, and they have added a wild combination of guitars and keyboards that almost fight for the attention in the background… definitely one of the best tunes on the album. “Justice” has an Enya or Clannad opening with a medieval guitar sound. This is a song that definitely would give goosebumps in a musical setting.
For those expecting a version of Frank Sinatra or Limp Bizkit on “My Way,” they will definitely be disappointed here. This is Felony’s own with a circus entrance start, which then sets off as a pretentious old Europe/Joey Tempest song, although it has a great pan flute.
“Tonite” is a power ballad that starts off sounding like Metallica’s “One,” then Andreas Wildi comes in with sleazy talking. This is the closest thing to a ballad on the album. “Tonite” has beautiful piano (or additional keyboard) sounds.
The song “Freedom” takes a different turn, and gives you that Abba feeling. This could have been a duet between Agneta and Bjorn, where John Norum and Joey Tempest from Europe come in and “ruin” it all with high tones and guitar solos. However, it’s another high point of the album!
“Promising Heart” is another song with the pan flute, which almost gives the song a bit of a South American stamp in the background. It’s a slow song with piano and deep male choir voices. It’s a bit hard to hear the female voice apart from the male voice on this tune.
“After the Rain” starts off with violins (or it could be keys that sound like violins). It’s a rapid song with the typical Orchestra sound, and an unexpected techno ending with sounds of the ocean and thundering.
“Cyberspace” is perhaps the only song that doesn’t fit in to this musical sounding album. It’s too modern and mainstream compared to the rest of the lyrics and music, with a Spanish guitar opening and a really catchy chorus.
A bit harder and a more typical Metal song is “Disappointed,” which has harder guitar and bass. One of the few songs that the average Metal fan really might enjoy. Andrea Richner sings the most on this song.
The albums’ last song is appropriately called “On Life’s End,” and it has a misty start, lots of drums, and again excessive keyboarding. Singer Andreas Wildi and the wonderful piano tones come in and calm this one down.
Felony’s First Works is perfect for people into Melodic Metal, Progressive Metal, and if there is such a thing called “Soundtrack Metal” or “Musical Metal,” then those people too. It is filled with pretentious and fantastic sounds. It’s an album with a story that would probably be perfect for a big musical production. Both vocals give away, and show they are not originally English speaking, but they both have really strong voices. This album has 12 long songs and is over 60 minutes in running time. Felony is probably a fun band to play in, because the music focuses equally on all the elements and gives room for all band members to show off.
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