Melted Space - Darkening Light

I can’t remember whether I’ve done a review on the genre of Metal. Whether it’s the Progressive or Symphonic genre, so it’s about time. And it’s been way overdue. This is a new area for me to discover this project called Melted Space. The brainchild behind Melted Space is French composer is Pierre Le Pape. Launched back 11 years ago, it was originally going to be an instrumental project, but Pierre wanted to take it as a step towards a potential ultimate in the style of The Divine Comedy.

The first release that Melted Space did their debut album which was self-released back in 2012 entitled, From the Past, then in 2013 they released an EP with Between, and then a second album in 2015 with The Great Lie. And now, this year, they’ve released their third album entitled, Darkening Light on the Sensory Records label which is a division from The Laser’s Edge.

With Melted Space, it’s not just a project, but a who’s who that appeared including; Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon), Kobi Fahri (Oprhaned Land), Clemetine Delauney (Visions of Atlantis), Ailyn Gimenez (Sirenia), Attila Csihar (Mayhem), and Lisbeth Cordia (Eve’s Fall) to name a few. On Darkening Light, they include; Jeff Scott Soto (Sons of Apollo, Journey), Silje Wergeland (The Gathering), Oyvind Haegeland (Acturus), Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ) and Catherine Trottman.

The musicians on the new album includes; Pierre Le Pape on Keyboards, Adrian Martinot on Guitar, Brice Guillon on Bass, Mike Saccoman on Drums, and Gildas Le Pape on Guitar with a track called, Trust in Me. With the sounds being menacing, lifting, eruptive, and classical, Darkening Light combines these elements into this gigantic globe with this story reflecting the story of the creation of the world and rejected by the gods of man. Not to mention the killer artwork done by Adrien Bousson. And with five highlights on here, it’s peaked my interest.

The Void Before begins with this spacey operatic vocalization as if setting up the scenery on the creation of the earth featuring some Oldfield-sque piano, booming electronic drums as if they’re bringing the thunder as the climatic strings set up on what is to come in the segue with Newborns. Trottman’s vocals give you the scenario of the beginnings of Earth with its operatic vocals.

Soto and another female vocalist comes in setting up this duel on where do we go from next on another planet Earth before the synths and guitars set up the construction before Trottman sets this angelic arrangement. It’s a great introduction to start the album off with a bang. Then you have The Dawn of Man (I’m Alive!) which starts off with some fast-paced guitar intro on the frets before getting the guns rolled up.

Describing on who you can trust and knowing that you’re alive and not knowing who you are and taking control of the world whether god or creation, it comes with a penalty. It’s knowing that the tension it is not going to be easy to try them out and feel the anger and rage inside your body and get rid of it with one single shot. You have the beauty and the beast vocalizations on here.

There’s some elements of Power Metal and nod to Within Temptation’s Mother Earth-era thrown into the mix while the devastation of the tempos going into a fast-mode with some sing-along momentum From The Beginning to the End. You can feel the epic boundaries around you as the drums and guitar go into some rapid firing as the snarling cookie monster vocals chants come out of the blue.

Gildas does these incredible guitar lines as if he’s got the machine guns ready to reign fire on Trust In Me. He’s firing in a rapid range and shows no sign of stopping by going through the riffs and killer improvisations he brings to the table of Melted Space. He’s not just an amazing guitarist, but bringing the energy and electricity as a guest musician on the album.

This is my third time listening to Darkening Light. I will admit the death metal vocals didn’t grab me. I’m not that crazy about the vocals on here, but this album almost grabbed me at times. Now am I saying is this a great album? No, but Pierre has brought like a movie inside your head and showing on what is happening with the creation of the earth. All in all, Darkening Light is a not-so-bad release from the Sensory label.