Phoenix Aflame

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!