The explosion of Symphonic Rock bands over the past few years has been one of the most welcome developments in Metal, their sweeping and heroic material bringing us into worlds aeons away from day to day greys. With this stratospheric rise in the genre, there’s going to be a variety of quality.
Dark Horse White Horse – EP (Independent)
Release Date: Out Now
Words: Paul Monkhouse
For every Nightwish and Within Temptation you have an equal number of poorly executed attempts at heavy classical meets folk, fronted by someone whose vocals are passable at the very best. Fortunately, Dark Horse White Horse are very much in the former category, and this new five-track EP is an outstanding entry into this most epic of universes.
Like a rampaging army
Like a rampaging army, overwhelming all who would stand in the way, opener ‘Judgement Day’ is as titanic and apocalyptical as it sounds, the guitars, bass and drums unbridled and crushing. Above this whirlwind stands the extraordinary voice of Marcela Bovio, a genuinely breathtaking instrument in itself.
This and the layers of subtle hues brought by the keyboards, this monster and the four tracks that follow are a fireworks display for the synapses.
The quality never ceases as ‘Black Hole’ is an industrial juggernaut, the delivery unsparingly urgent, ‘The Spider’ suitably sinewy and crawling and ‘Get Out’ is a mass of emotions, the human heart at the centre of the Metal maelstrom.
By the time you reach closing track ‘Cursed’, with its keyboards dancing like fireflies, you’ll find yourself utterly spent of energy, sentiment and superlatives.
Genuinely stunning, Dark Horse White Horse show that a quintet can sound like a galaxy and have set the bar at such a truly dizzying height that it would be a surprise if any other Symphonic band comes anywhere close this year.
Stratospheric.
For more information, visit darkhorsewhitehorse.nl
