AMBERIAN DAWN — Magic Forest (review)

AMBERIAN DAWN — Magic Forest album cover Album · 2014 · Symphonic Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
J-Man
Finland's Amberian Dawn is not a band that I've followed in the past, but it's my understanding that 2014's Magic Forest is an important album in their discography. As their first album of wholly original material without longtime vocalist Heidi Parviainen, Magic Forest serves as a proving ground for new singer Capri. Though she has previous experience in the music industry, her presence in Amberian Dawn marks her first appearance as a frontwoman in a metal group - and even though I'm currently unable to compare Capri to her predecessor, I know that she does a damn good job on Magic Forest.

As a matter of fact, I would say that she even elevates this record from a fairly average symphonic metal outing to something worth hearing for fans of the genre. Comparisons to bands like Epica, Within Temptation, and Nightwish are inevitable when listening to Magic Forest, but Capri's powerful and "rock-inspired" vocal performance serves as a nice contrast from the more operatic styles heard from popular frontwomen like Simone Simons or Tarja Turunen. The music itself is well-written and meticulously arranged, though nothing totally stands out to my ears. While catchy enough, Magic Forest doesn't pack the same punch that recent Epica outings have (perhaps because of this album's general lack of aggression and preference for mid-tempo grooves) and doesn't stand out enough from the crowd to make for a stunning observation.

That being said, Amberian Dawn have absolutely put together a solid collection of tunes for Magic Forest, and fans of symphonic metal will find plenty to enjoy here. As a well-produced, well-performed, and catchy album that features some truly terrific vocals, Magic Forest has enough going for it to warrant a listen from fans and newcomers alike.
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adg211288 wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I've followed their work since their debut and consider this their least interesting album to be honest. It simply feels dumbed down compared to their older work which were more power metal based and had both neoclassical and progressive leanings. Capri does a good job though. I didn't like her voice at first when they first brought her in, but she's definitely better here than on the rerecordings album they did before it.

If you enjoyed this one I would suggest also trying one of the one's with Heidi. I prefer the first two out of them all but Circus Black is also definitely worth a listen.

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