The Mirror of Deliverance

As an aspiring mechanical engineer, one of the first things I've learned is the beaten motto that pure genius lies in simplicity. In that respect - Miguel Santos and the entire crew of "A Dream of Poe" have managed to craft the epitome of that motto, and the vast array of things this album manages to accomplish is indeed stunning, considering how straight forward it is. It seems that there IS, in fact, a way to write some highly intricate, engaging and enchanting stuff while using the verse-chorus template and without toying with time signatures, and there's a 51 minute worth of proof encased in "The Mirror of Deliverance". Who knew...?

Aside from the mandatory heavy, distorted sections, there's a great emphasis put on clean parts (whether as additional layers or sections in their own right) as well, and various moods are explored throughout (with uplifted songs like "Neophyte" and "The Lost King of Lyre" popping here and there as a contrasting tint to the general solemnity that adorns this album), prompting an emotional response on a wider scale in comparison to more ordinary doom metal. Stylistically speaking, A Dream of Poe has a lot in common with their great Latin brother overseas - Mar de Grises, although of significantly less "weight" - I've found no gothic elements in "The Mirror of Deliverance" per se, if one intends on sticking with the genre tag on the band's page, yet the said accent on the lighter and melodic side of things effectively diminishes the intensity of the album in favor of accessibility, which isn't a derogatory claim for a change in lieu of what this album tries to accomplish. It's highly melodic and mellow yet not at all sappy, and although it's significantly less complex than any of Mar de Grises' work, it still offers enough to please your mind as well as your ear. But buyers beware, for the album's seeming timidity is what's going to overpower you in the end.

To my knowledge, this is the second release by "A Dream..." to feature João Melo on vocals, and although I haven't listened to any of their works prior to "Lady of Shalott" (the title song of which also reappears on this album, much to my pleasure) so I'm oblivious of the fact how well their previous one did or what is his share in the vocal work on that particular album, but one thing is certain - I couldn't possibly think of a better fitting candidature than João for this spot. He sports a highly powerful growls that pretty much make the heavier segments of the album - but when the mellow parts come to play, he manages to switch to a surprisingly soothing clean timbre that compliments the nature of the music in a very symbiotic fashion, and although his true ability is indubitable (as showcased in the closing track), most of the time it is held back and never sticks out of place in a sudden seizure of flashiness. In fact, the said restraint applies to everyone who took a part in this release, whether by the guest vocalists or by the guest guitarists, each of which does his very best in harnessing out of Miguel's compelling and multi layered rhythmic work what's needed for them to spice it up while maintaining the coherence of the composition without turning it to a one-man-show, so even though the leads are of a formidable technical level, they appear sparingly and with good taste. Wrap all this up in a very clear and professional production, and the resultant would be something you can't possibly fail with.


Overall: There's absolutely nothing I can think of that's wrong with this album, apart from being a little light for my taste. It's as good to get one (or his nagging girlfriend) into metal as well as to ease one's way out, or just when you're willing to escape to a lighter and more quiet place in your life - "The Mirror of Deliverance" has all these qualities and much more, and although folks like me would usually stick to their heavier guns rather than reconnecting with their touchy side - there's no reason on earth why YOU wouldn't enjoy this album. One thing is sure though - A Dream of Poe is a band you'd really want to have an eye on in their future endeavors.

[Favorite bits: Os Vultos, Lady of Shalott, Chrysopoeia]