Some artists just hit all the notes, metaphorically and literally, and that is what you can expect from Victoria K’s debut album Essentia. With the influence of bands like Evanescence and elements from the European symphonic metal stylings, each song has an incredible ability to create an atmosphere from the very first note.
Giving us a sneak peek before the album drop with singles Matrix, Forsaken, The Haunting and Lacuna, the rest of the record captures that gothic, symphonic metal sound expertly.
As the album opener Freedom Unchartered, kicks in with guest vocalist Sheri Vengeance (from Melbourne metal band Black Like Vengeance), it is almost the perfect representation of what is to come. The juxtaposition of Victoria K’s powerful but beautiful and often haunting vocal stylings, with Sheri’s sometimes almost demonic growls, drives home the imagery that is created from the get-go. Start to finish, it is a gothic symphony of whimsy with an underlying heaviness that is not lost throughout all of the tracks.
From the melodic riffs throughout, the blistering guitar solo in Mist Filled Sky and the drumming is one of the unsung heroes of the whole production. The composition of the music provides the perfect backdrop for Victoria K’s talent but does not get lost. As each song kicks in, the song builds expertly- creating a mood and feeling throughout the ebbs and flows of the track.
Lyrically, the storytelling and concepts are powered by incredible vocals that are technically brilliant as much as they are emotive. At the end of the day though, while I would not say it is the most ground-breaking release; it is definitely well-written and is definitely worth listening to if your tastes are even slightly inclined towards gothic, symphonic metal.
Release Year: 2020
Label: Rockshots Records
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Kayla Hamilton
