CoC : Velvet Seal - Lend Me Your Wings : Review

Velvet Seal - _Lend Me Your Wings_
(Dark Balance, 2009)
by: Quentin Kalis (6.5 out of 10)

Hungary is not immune to the siren call of female fronted heavy metal bands to coalesce in the wake of Evanescence's commercial success, and VelvetSeal is simply another addition to a very long list. Whether they will be trailblazers or a footnote remains to be seen; at the moment they present a pleasing interpretation of the classic dark-heavy sound that has their touches but will not threaten boundaries or established bands. The centerpiece is, as always, an angelic voiced frontwoman, this time from the non-operatic school, which is not to say that she has not received any training. The overlaid synths flirt with the dramatic and the bombastic, nicely complementing the significantly heavier than usual crunch of the guitars. If I had to compare this with any of the current frontrunner, After Forever or Within Temptation would be obvious choices, due to non-operatic style and comparatively restrained symphonic leanings, but their heaviness, use of melody and occasionally theatrical touches allow them to survive in an overcrowded market. Whether they will thrive remains to be seen.

Contact: http://www.velvetseal.com

(article published 24/10/2009)