martindavey87 This is a fairly decent debut album by Kamelot, who at the time were nothing more than a generic power metal band. Progressive elements seen in later albums are rare and discreet, and the band are yet to develop a lot of the more exotic flavors heard in their later songs. But overall, there are still some great compositions on this record.

There are very few keyboard parts and the musicianship is nowhere near that of most prog/power metal bands, but that doesn't prevent a few memorable riffs popping up, such as 'Eternity' and 'The Gleeman', and 'Etude Jongleur is a nice, though short, melodic passage.

There isn't really much else to say about this album to be honest. If you're a fan of Kamelot then it's worth getting, and I think it's generally worth picking up for anyone if you can find it cheap somewhere. Kamelot didn't really hit their stride until keyboards became a more primary instrument and with the addition of vocalist of Roy Khan (who, if you're already a Kamelot fan prior to buying this album, you'll definitely notice his absence), but this still holds up well as a look at a young band who will definitely go on to better things.

Unitron Kamelot-Eternity

'Eterntiy' is the debut studio album by symphonic/power metal band Kamelot. With a new Kamelot album on the way, I thought it would be a good time to start reviewing through their discography. Before Kamelot gained critical acclaim with some of their following albums with Roy Khan on vocals, Mark Vanderbilt was vocalist.

Musically, this album set the groundwork for Kamelot's signature sound. The opening title track starts the album off with orchestral instrumentation before some great drum work by Richard Warner signals in the powerful driving riffing. The song has pretty much everything I want in my power metal, a powerful vocalist, fast melodic hooks, symphonic elements, and as a bonus Warner gives a stellar drum performance. I can hear a lot of early Queensryche influence, especially the next song 'Black Tower' which sounds like Queensryche with some symphonic elements. The third song however, 'Call of the Sea', is much stronger and has that 'power' that's needed. The crunching riffs fit perfectly with Vanderbilt's vocals melodies. The chorus is great, with a very memorable wail of 'The sea is calling me!'. 'Red Sands' stands out too, being a very fast-paced track. Another memorable chorus is found here, not detracting from the speed of the track. The bridge transitions the song into a much more atmospheric place, before re-gaining speed.

My favorite on the album has to be 'Fire Within', which has great use of the Phrygian scale. While the song begins using it slow and menacingly, it gets fit into the heavier crunch of the powerful guitar. Vanderbilt's vocals also fit perfectly with the melody of the song. The album does end on a strong note with a grand finale of 'The Gleeman'. It's melodic hooks get stuck in your head, and Vanderbilt's vocals again really fit in with the melody with his melodic wails. The bridge has excellent guitar work, and a solo that really sings. Overall, a great finisher.

Remember when I compared the song 'Black Tower' to Queensryche? Well, that's really the only real big flaw about this album. Sometimes it sounds TOO Queensryche, Vanderbilt's voice is powerful and great, but again a little TOO Geoff Tate. Thankfully, there is enough power and symphonic elements to make some songs stand out on there own. While a great vocalist, knowing Roy Khan would come join later on, Vanderbilt pales in comparison. While Khan has a similar vocal style, it has a lot more polish and power to stand on it's own then Vanderbilt's.

Overall, it's certainly great for a debut. While not immediately up to standards, it has some great underrated songs, and it's interesting to hear how Kamelot began before they became the powerhouse they are now. Recommended to fans of early Queensryche.

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