Phoenix Aflame

It has been better than two decades since the conception of female fronted symphonic metal came blazing out of Europe like a proverbial Phoenix, burning itself out through multiple monikers every several years yet enjoying a seemingly infinite number of rebirths under new names. It is altogether fitting that one of its more recent adherents, and a strong one to boot, would hail from the American southwest not far from the very city that bears the legendary bird's namesake. Thus stands Insatia, a band that was one of Arizona's better kept secrets until the unveiling of their sophomore effort Phoenix Aflame, with the backing of the largely Greek-based Pitch Black Records and sporting a stylistic inclination that is highly familiar, yet not bereft of a distinctive personality. Adorned by a cosmic rendering of a winged nymph (modeled by the band's vocalist) wreathed in blue flame amid a sea of stars and various celestial bodies, it is an album that immediately commands attention before the first note rings out, promising a highly contemplative and deep auditory experience.

The general ebb and flow of this anthology of burning anthems has a storybook-like quality to them, mirroring a number of tendencies quite common to the older European approach to the style. At its onset, things resound in a highly serene fashion with a brief overture in "Land Of The Living", conjuring up some familiar territory to what kicked off Nightwish's Once, though as things progress a more woodland green character in line with said band's 1997 debut Angels Fall First. When things move into full length song territory, there is a concise character at work here paralleling familiar bands in Visions Of Atlantis and Serenity (a fitting eventuality as several musicians from said bands took part in the recording process) to the AOR-infused power metal sound typified in recent Timo Tolkki projects and the regular output of Frontiers Records of late, particularly those associated with Magnus Karlsson. It's a generally simple and predictable package from a songwriting standpoint, though with a few needed twists in the instrumental department like the violin sounds heard on "Sacred" and Christopher Amott's fret board gymnastics on "Memory Of A Sapphire".

Though a complete package that showcases a talented display by all instrumentalists in congress, this band's truly awe-inspiring element is lead vocalist and lone founding member Zoë Federoff. Her voice has an airy, angelic quality that is highly reminiscent of Within Temptation singer Sharon Den Adel, yet with a slightly more triumphant quality that provides the needed power to cut through the dense array of symphonic keyboard and screaming guitars that adorn most of these songs. This duality of power and sweetness is best displayed on more exposed songs such as the super catchy half-ballad and duet with Apollo Papathanasio "Not My God" and the folksy acoustic number "Velvet Road", which sounds a fair bit similar to something that Blackmore's Night might conjure up. All the same, things are truly at their collective best when the band throws out molten shards of power metal from their flaming wings as heard on the more fast-paced "Healer Of Hatred" and the speeding riff monster of a title song "Phoenix Ablaze", complete with obligatory keyboard and lead guitar noodling and Zoë painting the landscape with dense vocal harmonies.

The reference to this band in the past tense and the metaphorical depictions of death and rebirth within the style were, sadly to say, not an accidental whim of the author of this review as this young project would count this as their swansong. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but also an all too common one, especially when the majority of the talent rests in one lone consistent member who is dogged by a revolving door of band mates. All the same, Phoenix Aflame is a beautiful rendering of the symphonic power metal sound as typified in the recent output of the likes of Beyond The Black, Midnight Eternal and Mastercastle, and one that provides a fair level of variety from one song to the next to compensate for a generally mid-paced and safe approach to song structure. The winds of change may have hastened this mighty fire bird's demise and left two solitary diamonds within the smoldering ashes, but the future is sure to see the rebirth of this sound in some future project involving Zoë's majestic melodies, may that day come on the wings of haste.

Once again I have been lured, and subsequently duped, by a fancy package before examining the contents within. Beautiful album art, an awesome title, a band name that’s dangerously close to ‘Insania’… It all points to a symphonic power metal experience that any fan of the sub-genre can get behind. Now, there’s one key element an album of this ilk must possess, beyond the cheesy catchiness – and that is energy. Be as catchy or self-indulgent as you wish; without that youthful vibrancy driving the pace along, a symphonic power metal album will fall flat as a coaster. I’m not saying Phoenix Aflame, the sophomore album by American power metallers Insatia, is devoid of any liveliness – but it would certainly benefit from a dose of stamina here and there.

There are a few flawless aspects of this record which deserve the utmost praise. Firstly, Zoe’s voice is like an angel on Earth. There’s no sign of a wannabe opera star with that annoying faux-vibrato so high-pitched it would send dogs scampering for cover. Just a beautiful, natural, earthy tone at a comfortable range with plenty of emotive power. Similarly, the guitar tone doesn’t take the thin, weedy path expected from this genre – but is beefed up to considerably heavy standards. Check out the chugging under the verses of “Act Of Mercy” – we could definitely take more of that! The keyboards are also effectively sprinkled throughout the album, providing uplifting melodies just at the right point. The blaring synths over the main riff of “Memory Of A Sapphire” are irresistible!

So why the middling score? Well, as previously mentioned – Phoenix Aflame would really triumph with an injection of pure energy. The tempo very rarely crawls above medium pace, and when it does (e.g. the title-track) it never settles into a speedy groove with that traditional power metal gallop. As a result, the entire LP has one tone and an unwavering atmosphere of ‘average’. The issue is not one of talent or execution, more of album structure and feeling – which I know sounds vague, but that’s exactly the aura this record has. It has me clutching at straws, searching for decent ways to explain the intermediacy accurately.

Sometimes the slow tempos work in its favour, such as the balladic duet “Not My God”, with the ex-Firewind vocalist – a pleasant surprise guest. The obligatory intro “Land Of The Living” is also one of the few points on the album which successfully crafts an ethereal atmosphere. Otherwise, the directionless plodding of “Sacred” and the meandering “Velvet Road” drag the vibe down to run-of-the-mill level. Phoenix Aflame is not at all bad, there are many things fans of the genre will find to enjoy. However, the lack of variety and dynamism downgrades Insatia’s new output from ‘stellar’ to ‘background music’. But perfectly decent, inoffensive background music!

I've been following the progress of Canadian/American power metal band Insaita since an EP they did several years ago (a completely different lineup from the one featured on Phoenix Aflame. When I heard that founding two of the members of the trio had left the band a few years back, shortly after the release of their promising debut album, I wondered, can this band survive? Or will they be relegated to the dustheap of metal history? I'm happy to report, after listening to this sophomore release, that like the Phoenix of the album's title, Insatia has been reborn in a new and more beautiful form! Lead singer Zoe Federoff, who is the only remaining member from the band that recorded Asylum Denied, has managed to assemble a talented band that brings her vocals to the foreground, and the result is a very satisfying power metal release.

Overall, the songwriting is noticeably stronger, with catchy riffs and strong melodies, and displaying a wider dynamic range across the board. There is a lot more keyboard writing on this record, and it complements the solid rhythm section very well, lending the music a style reminiscent of many European power metal bands. Zoe's singing, which always displayed purity of tone and good dynamic range, has gained a level of confidence that is immediately apparent. I suspect that her experience of live performance over the past few years has stood her in good stead. Nowhere is this more apparent than in one of the standout tracks: "Not My God," a duet with guest vocalist Apollo Papathansio (Ex-Firewind, Spiritual Beggars). This is the kind of song that gets stuck in my head! And it's exactly the kind of singing I've been waiting to hear from Zoe: self-assured, with a great mix of sweetness and power, really taking advantage of her higher range. It's also another good example of the kind of keyboard writing that gives the music on Phoenix Aflame such a pleasing dynamic variation.

My other favorite track is "Velvet Road," a sort of "folk metal" tune that reminds me a bit of Spanish metal band Mago de Oz (only I like Zoe's voice a lot better than the lead singer of that group). Lines like "But I know myself/And I know my strength/Keep my heart for you/As I carry through/On this winding velvet road" can sound cheesy, if they're not delivered with simplicity and sincerity, and Zoe achieves this in her vocals, while the beautiful acoustic guitar and the simple keyboard parts lend some solid support. Really great singing on this track!

I should also say a word about the title track, "Phoenix Aflame." A raging rhythm guitar part and some nice keyboard work make this another standout track. The song has a vibrant forward momentum that occasionally reminds me of some Deep Purple classics, but with a more contemporary metal sound. (Also, as a choral musician, I have to appreciate Zoe's marvelous diction, which is clear but not overdone. Ever ending consonant on the word "aflame" is perfect!) Great guitar work on this track, with a fabulous solo in the middle. Some nice multi-tracking of the vocals on this song, too...

I'm not going to do a track-by-track breakdown of the album, because I encourage listeners to give the whole album a listen--it's well worth your time. Really solid songwriting and polished execution make this record a worthy addition to the pantheon of melodic power metal bands. Honestly, the only reason didn't rate this record at 100% is that I feel certain that Insatia still has more to offer us, and I want to leave some room in my ratings for growth! I won't be surprised if they start to get really big after people here Phoenix Aflame, and I'd look forward to being able to say, "I remember when they were just starting out..."