| Score | 9/10 |
| Genre | Melodic Metal |
| Country | Ukraine |
| Runtime | 46:06 |
| Release Date | 15 November 2019 |
| Record Label | Rockshots |
The past weeks haven’t skimped out on great melodic metal one bit and Scarleth have carried this momentum in their latest effort, Vortex. It’s bright, it’s melodic, and it offers a wide variety while still hanging onto a distinct, recognizable sound. Aside from guitarist and founder, Viktor Morozov, the album has an all-new lineup. Fronted by Ekaterina Kapshuk‘s expressive vocals, each riff-heavy track belts a considerable amount of energy and badassery.
Vortex combines elements of heavy, power, symphonic, and gothic metal, synthpop, and even Middle Eastern and folk music. On top of that, the album is full of colourful rhythm section parts and some sick guitar solos. Seriously. They suddenly explode into existence and demand your attention with shredtastic, sweep-picked mystery. The result of this well-balance mixture is a memorable melodic metal album that’s sure to be a favourite among fans of the genre.
One thing worth mentioning is the fact that, though the album is super melodic, I wouldn’t necessarily call most of the choruses catchy. Sure, there are a few, like ‘Feel the Heat’ and ‘Break the Chains’, but the tunes don’t do much to make you want to sing along, like so many pop metal albums do (or try to do, at least). This isn’t a bad quality, as the melodies are still strong, it’s just something that separates it from the norm in the space.
As far as my favourite tracks go, I think ‘Escape from Your Embrace’ wins it. It’s crazy dynamic and features excellent piano parts all the way through, plus it has one of the best facemelters. It also ramps up the whole Middle Eastern thing and unleashes some fucking ferocious growls. Additionally, ‘Ostannya Zorya’, as the folkiest tune on the album, is worth mentioning, as well as ‘Final Curtain’, which, expectedly, has a gothic/circussy feel, similar to Amberian Dawn’s Circus Black.
Despite having a new lineup, Scarleth maintain a tight, experienced sound. From beginning to end, there’s no telling what Vortex will lay down next. The whole album is pleasant surprise after pleasant surprise. Even if you go into this album with high expectations, I bet you’ll still be impressed with this shiny piece of modern metal.
*Also, bonus points for actually having fucking FIRE in the music video.*
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