Moonscape - Entity, Chapter II: Echoes from a Cognitive Dystopia

 

Band: Moonscape

Album:  Entity, Chapter II: Echoes from a Cognitive Dystopia

Release date: November 23, 2020

Record label: self released

Genre: Progressive metal, epic metal, melodic death metal

From:  Gjøvik, Norway

 

After hearing “Entity” by Moonscape, I knew I had to get to hear the new album “Entity, Chapter II” and I’m very happy that Håvard Lunde submitted it to me for review.

 

“Entity, Chapter II: Echoes from a Cognitive Dystopia” continues the story started in “Entity”.

The album consists of 4 tracks: 3 main compositions, from 8 to almost 17 minutes each, as well as an orchestral prelude that sets a quite epic mood for the album.

 

Each of the 4 main compositions have quite distinct parts, with their own names and moods that fit into the overall theme of each composition, like in a classical orchestra piece.

At the same time, each of the 4 compositions fits seamlessly together, so that one doesn’t notice that one is on the next one even when there is a break between tracks.

 

The album has a strong emphasis on the vocals, there are also many great instrumental melodies. While the album is quite heavy, it is also very symphonic, even more so than the debut “Entity”, not only in the choice of musical instruments, but also in the orchestration, which is something many metal bands fail at.

Like “Entity”, there are also some folk melodies, which I’m happy to hear kept on the guitars, in the tradition of Scandinavian 90s metal.

At times I would say it’s like Rhapsody meets Amon Amarth. Yes, it’s that epic!

I’m also very happy that for an epic album, it still retains progressivity, like the epics of Manilla Road and Ayreon. I hear many parallels to progressive bands of the 70s and 80s, both with the use of organ and the way many of the instrumental parts are composed.

 

Like the Ayreon albums, this album is a concept piece with a complex story which is brought to life by the use of several singers: Håvard Lunde himself, Pauli Souka (Coldbound), Runar Steen Hansen (Firefight), Drake Chrisdensen (Ruins of Elysium), David Åkesson (Qantice) and Marcela Villarroel.

The vocals warry from death and black metal growls, to beautiful operatic voices, and strong power metal singing.

While Håvard Lunde handles guitars, bass, percussion and programming, there are also, like on an Ayreon album, many instrumental guests:
Lead guitars: Andreas Jonsson (ex-Spiral Architect) - lead guitars, Cezar Popescu (Days of Confusion) Linus Abrahamson (Guthrie Govan, Andromeda), Leviathan (Ex-Unspoken, Kvesta, Abyss Below), John Kiernan, Mark Anthony K. (Projekt Gemineye/The Dark Monarchy)

Keyboards: Aaron Minich (Nekrogoblikon), Rafael Agostino (Armored Dawn), Diego Palma (LordDivine)

Saxophone: Bret Barnes

Organ: Eirik Dischler (Shamblemaths)

Piano: David Russell

Violin: Alexandra Laya (Qantice)

 

The album is well produced, and although best enjoyed on a great stereo system, it sounds quite good on my laptop speakers or headphones as well. The drums have a good punch while retaining clarity, the instruments are well balanced in the mix, and I enjoy the sustain rich warm lead sound on the guitars. The vocals are part of the sound and not on top of the instrumentals, sitting great in the mix.

 

Sometimes, complex albums can take a long time to really get into, and it will take me many listens before I discover everything that’s going on in this album. At the same, this album sits well already after the first listen. It’s an album where you are impressed already early on and want to hear more.

 

This album managed to dip into all subgenres of metal that I’m really into, and do it seamlessly, making it feel natural for melodic death metal to change into power metal or transform into a progressive instrumental.
There really isn’t a boring section on this album, it can be listened as one long composition, or you can listen to each song as a standalone piece. My only complaint is that it is too short. I could gladly listen to a twice as long album with such great songs!
All in all, it’s a fantastic piece of progressive metal, and you should definitively buy the album!
 

 

buy the album on bandcamp: https://moonscape.bandcamp.com/

follow Moonscape on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moonscapenorway

join Moonscape in this facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OfficialMoonscapeGroup/