EXCALION – Dream Alive

After a seven-year wait from their last release, Finnish Power Metal band Excalion release Dream Alive. Founding member, Jarmo Myllyvirta, keyboardist and songwriter, is joined by a new line-up featuring vocalist Marcus Lång. Dream Alive is a story “… telling about a modern escapist who lives both the past and present, crafting his own realities.” If you enjoy reading lyrics while listening, you can appreciate Dream Alive. For the rest, the music must inspire instead.

While the opening track, “Divergent Falling”, is an inspiring Power Metal anthem with up-tempo guitar and keyboard sparring, epic melodies, and a soaring chorus, the rest of the album struggles. Part of problem is the mix. Lång’s vocals are fair; his mix is the fairest of them all. Over the course of 60+ minutes, the listener is overwhelmed to distraction by the dominant vocal mix. “Deadwater Bay” and “The Firmament” are plodding power ballads where Lång’s limitations are laid bare. The epic closer, “Portrait On The Wall”, transitions from quieter instrumental moments to Lång’s teeth-rattling vocal. Up-tempo songs such as “One Man Kingdom” and “Man Alive” are least problematic when the entire band is at full throttle. “Release The Time” is an excellent track where Lång eases off yielding space for backing vocals and the quieter melodic textures.

This formulaic album may easily engage Power Metal fans, but breaks little new ground. The over-powered vocals take the power out of this Power Metal effort.

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