adg211288 Unleash the Magic is the debut album from Uruguayan power metal act Elixir. The band is a symphonic styled power metal act and the album was released in early 2012 originally as a digital release but within a few months the album got a CD release through Heart of Steel Records.

Stylistically Elixir produces what I’d consider a fairly typical modern power metal sound. To cut the long story short we’re talking the sort of power metal which doesn’t bring anything new to the table and will get the most appreciation out of the genre’s fanatics while having little appeal to the wider metal world. Fortunately for Elixir they do a pretty convincing job on this debut release, showcasing that they know their craft well and can write solid and catchy power metal tracks filled with speedy riffs, symphonic keyboards, and a strong sense of melody. It’s nothing that will catapult them right into the midst of power metal’s risings stars, but it is easily a cut above many other acts in the same position as Elixir when considering their instrumental prowess.

The weak link however is the group’s vocalist, Brunno Navarro. While not a terrible singer, I’ve certainly encountered worse within the genre, who in all fairness does carry the album to the best of his apparent ability, there are definite moments within Unleash the Magic that could have easily been elevated to the next level of greatness with a stronger vocalist, because despite not breaking any moulds Unleash the Magic contains consistently strong power metal tracks. The music is energetic and the melodies are more often than not pretty exceptional. The transition from the intro track Excelsior into Weapons of Heart is especially well done. Even with the vocals as they are Unleash the Magic is a good release, but the potentially is there for it have been a great or even an exceptional one.

In summary this is a very solid debut release from Elixir. The vocals do drag it down somewhat, at times making the album a more difficult listen than it really should be, especially once we’re talking repeated spins as the vocals take away from the lasting appeal of the release. All the same a high end good album rating is deserved. So long as they can work on the vocal department then I expect some great albums from the band in the future.

7.4/10

(Originally reviewed for Heavy Metal Haven (http://metaltube.freeforums.org))