Klassika

Esqarial started out as a fairly progressive death metal band and like most of those bands do, they gradually evolved into something more complex. Contrary to many bands of the same ilk, however, Esqarial also gradually became more melodic. Apparently to the point where frontman and current Vader guitarist Marek ‘Spider’ Pająk could not handle the vocals anymore, as ‘Klassika’ finds them working with Grzegorz Kupczyk of Turbo fame. The combination works wonders, as Kupczyk’s raw-edged clean vocals are exactly what the almost progressive power metal approach of the album needed to be lifted to a higher level.

Whether or not you will like this album depends greatly on expectations. Those expecting more death metal are likely to be disappointed, but the truth is that ‘Klassika’ is not really that much of a departure from ‘Inheritance’ or ‘Discoveries’. There are just two small, but significant changes. Firstly, there’s Kupczyk’s vocals. While he tends to sound slihgtly more convincing in Polish, this is easily his best English-language performance to date. In addition, there is the fact that ‘Klassika’ consists of songs that have been partly or completely inspired by pieces of classical music, Beethoven's and Bach's most prominently. The results sound somewhere between a less complex Symphony X or a more neoclassical Dio.

The idea of ‘Klassika’ seems worse than its execution. I like both metal and classical music and you could certainly find worse composers to emulate than Beethoven, but reinterpreting classical pieces for a metal band rarely transcends curiosity status. Fortunately, Esqarial does something relatively creative here by building complete original songs around these brief classical cameos. Take ‘Requiem’: the fragments of Beethoven’s fifth symphony and Mozart’s requiem will be clear to anyone with a passing knowledge of classical music, but it’s more than just a mere cover of a classical track. Pająk and fellow guitarist Bartosz Nowak simply added their own parts to create a fantastically dramatic heavy metal track.

Most of the tracks on here are highly enjoyable, mildly complex heavy metal that still remains suprising even after repeated listens. ‘Eye Of The Cyclone’, for instance, keeps surprising me with its excellent structure, rhythmical shifts and Kupczyk’s passionate vocal performance. ‘Timequake’ is another work of art that builds from its brilliantly layered intro to a dramatic heavy metal song with engaging time feel changes. ‘Toy Soldier’ is an exceptional opener, as it wears Bach’s ‘Prelude In D Minor’ on its sleeve, but also simply is a powerful headbanger. The album closes with a strong version of Esqarial’s own ‘A Pure Formality’ (from ‘Inheritance’) with new lyrics.

After repeated listens, the only track that does not really grab me yet is ‘Moonlight Sonata’, notably the track that sticks most closely to a classical piece, namely the eponymous Beethoven piece. It is turned into an odd doomy ballad of which I’m not sure if it works yet. Everything else on here is really solid, often exceptional metal. Only the most ardent defenders of death metal vocals might be put off by Kupczyk’s great performance, but if you approach this at its own merits, ‘Klassika’ is one of the better European metal albums of the first decade of this century.

Recommended tracks: ‘Timequake’, ‘Eye Of The Cyclone’, ‘Sleeping In The Flame’

Originally written for my Kevy Metal weblog

I’m confused. What’s going on here? I don’t know whether to treat ‘Klassica’ as a different entity, or what. Someone had best explain what the deal is because I don’t understand where the transition from technical death metal, to this happened, which can only be described as a mix of genres, from melodic death, to power, to progressive and back again. The initial shock has not subsided and the confusion has not past. I do not know how to treat ‘Klassica’. Is it a representative of the future records for Esqarial? Or is it merely an experimentation on old themes with new concepts? I really don’t know, anything is possible. Esqarial have always made a habit of producing alterations to their sound which vastly differ from their previous records, but this is very drastic and as of yet, unexplained. ‘Inheritance’ wasn’t exactly a standard death metal record. It swayed heavily towards the progressive sub-genre and even included technical instrumentation, to give it a somewhat pretentious, though exceedingly glamorous touch. ‘Klassica’ however, does not adhere to the same formulas that past records have dipped into. This is the rebel of the illustrious collection from the Polish band and, as I understand, the last time Kupczyk participates on vocals. Is this his normal voice? Is this someone else on vocals, with Kupczyk merely providing “additional” vocals, as the description suggests? Again, confusion is engraving itself into my mind. This will not go down as Esqarial’s finest hour. Instead, it will be shunted into the corner and promptly have a dunce hat put firmly on top of its ridiculously shaped head.

I suppose one way to deal with this abhorrent confusion is to review this as a separate entity, marking down that this must be a different band because the sound produced here is completely oblivious of the initial standards Esqarial laid down, over the course of many years, and several different records. So, what’s new? Well, the biggest and most contrasting difference from ‘Klassica’ to the rest of the Esqarial discography is the vocals. I’m unsure as to who provides the main vocals, and who is on back-up duty, but they’re different alright. For one, they’re clean. No longer are we the listener subjected to throaty screams. In actual fact, I think I prefer these vocals, which makes listening to this record even stranger. Has Kupczyk lost the ability to scream, like he did on the previous records? Perhaps that is the case. Maybe he cannot perform any longer. Shame there’s no Viagra for the throat. Or is it a shame? As I said previously, this type of vocals is more suited to Esqarial’s new sound. The death metal elements that once existed have almost been completely re-worked and excommunicated from the bands style. Replacing it is a stylish progressive metal sound that prefers to deal with technical guitar leads, with back-up guitars providing a more suitable base for the soundscapes, fast drumming, though this does not adhere to the death metal idea of fast drumming and majestic clean vocals that reach the highest of heights and the most spectacular of ranges. The coupled lead guitars and vocals make some of the songs sound overly technical and rather pretentious, take ‘True Lies’ as an example of such an occurrence, but generally speaking, I suppose they suit each other like a temperamental old couple who have been together for years and don’t want to die alone.

The levels of experimentation can be likened to the high levels that occur on progressive metal records. Semi-acoustics, solo after solo, a prestigious bass section and varied drumming styles all occur within short spaces of time. There is no let up here, its one epic after another. At times, Esqarial make a habit of out doing themselves. By this I mean that they produce too many differing aspects and solos within one song, whilst tapping into contrasting genres that don’t compliment each other as well when Esqarial perform them as other, more noteworthy bands, attempt to blend exotic features with traditional methods. Esqarial’s musicianship can’t be faulted, as such, because they’re definitely a talented bunch. The problem is they’re trying to sound too technical, too gifted and it results in a chaotic mess of mass proportions. This is an epidemic of excrement at certain points. Power metal styled vocals alongside semi-acoustics and unimposing solos that merely decorate the soundscapes like tacky wallpaper. There’s even a piano performing on ‘Moonlight Sonata’! The cheese factor is just too much to take. Instead of sounding like the epitome of sadness, the collaborative approach sounds far fetched and is too much for me to stomach. I’m going to be sick! The song structures prove that, whilst Esqarial can form technical bases, they lean far too heavily on the guitars to perform endless solos, the bass to form a whimpering fountain of emotions (which are running dry towards the end, by the way) and annoying vocals that make me uncomfortable, more so than anything.