Shadowpath – “The Aeon Discordance” | Progressive Rock Central.com

Shadowpath will release their latest album, The Aon Discordance, on March 10^th. The melodic progressive, metal, band from Switzerland, is made up of Samuel Baumann on drums and percussion; James Pankhurst on guitars, bass, and backing vocals; Philipp Bohny on keyboards, growl and additional vocals; and Simone Christina on lead vocals.

The Aeon Discordance, is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2017 album Rumours of a Coming Dawn. “The album encapsulates a blend of melodic progressive metal, continuing the band’s exploration of diverse musical styles”.

“The Lifeline Economist”, is the longest song on the album at over 15 and a half minutes. It opens with beautiful piano, played softly and with a purpose. Then, flute joins in the soundscape. Male vocals lead, then Simone Christina takes over. The band then cascades into a Dream Theater like instrumental, complete with powerful lead electric guitars, bass, and drums. Philipp Bohny adds growls to enhance the effects of the powerful metal being played. Strings are added to take it full symphonic. A great song with minimal lyrics to help give the song potency. Then, about halfway through the piece, the band slows things down with some acoustic guitar, piano, keyboards, and orchestration. Philipp Bohny sings, “Climbing delusional hills”. The hard, metal instrumental rock recommences. Bohny growls. Then, the beautiful piano recommences. Wish they could make up their minds and stick with this lighter – more human mix. Too much growling at the end of the song for my taste. But a wonderful instrumental, without the growling, to open the album.

“Outside the Tetrahedron”, or (triangular pyramid), is a song of a different sort. It opens with regal symphonic orchestration, with electric guitar, bass, and drums moving fast. Then, more growls from Bohny. He sings, “So feel the dark. From this black fire. All dreams to dust. Futile desire!” Simone Christina takes over, she sings, “From shallow a grave, hidden and purged. The aura awakens this primal despise. Restless memories rise to emerge. Withering is the noble disguise. Four was the number to name, to obey. All laws are banned, there is no master. Silently time leaves its tracks on our shell. The wheel of life is turning faster. Watch me as I evolve. Outside the tetrahedron!” Bohny returns with more growls. Then, excellent keyboards and instrumentals take over. They are best when they are playing their instruments. When Bohny sings regular vocals, all is well. The added flute is excellent. Bohny and Christina dueting also has a good sound.

Christina opens “Unwounded We Bleed”, singing, “Listen to the uncried laments! Listen to the murmur behind the wall! Listen to my song of silence! Listen to the lonesome call! Tell me about your nameless tragedy! Tell me about forgotten grief! Tell me about our feeble destiny! Tell me about the pain beneath! Look out for the weeping wanderers! Look out for those desperate tears!” This is what we were waiting for on this album. She sings so well, why wouldn’t you want her to sing all of the lyrics? Instead of degrading the sound with growls. We made it through most of the song, before Bohny returns, with the growls. However, thankfully some awesome lead electric guitar solos take over and help drown the growls out.

“A Coming Storm”, brings ocean sounds and spacey travel orchestration, before the electric guitars, bass and drums build momentum. Christina sings, “The stars are veiled, while hidden lies the sun. My way leads deep into the night. Darkened my mind – when has this all begun? I ask myself, where rests the weeping light. The jester’s laughter echoes in your head. And fools will be the ones, that cannot see. Willing to walk the haunted path they’re led, They’re all the things, they never meant to be”. Christina has a beautiful voice. If only you could hear this excellent metal music played with only her voice and no growls.

“Reveries In Blue”, is a beautiful guitar solo with orchestration and keyboards. At just past 1 minute, this is the only song that is growl-free.

The last song’s keyboards and orchestration bleeds into the soft opening instrumental of “Homecoming (Sleepy Lies The Forest)”. Christina sings the opening and it sounds wonderful. But, Bohny returns again, to disturb the quiet of the snow filled soundscape, with growling. Another great song, full of impressive orchestration and guitar playing, that is suddenly distracted by the growls.

“Eyes Of Our Brothers”, opens with hammering drums and excellent keyboards. Bad growling. But 6 minutes of great music.

With a title like “Demons Within”, I was ready for a lot of Bohny growls. To my delight, the band played some excellent instrumentals, before Christina sang most of the lyrics, “The soul of the child in me is gone. Violently drawn into the world. Call it by its name, then seal your lips forever. Senseless seems fate, senseless the word”. Fortunately the piano and Christina dominate the first half of the over 10 minute track. Bohny growls can be heard, but a lot less often. Then, Christina tries her own growls. Oh brother!

“At The End Of It All”, opens with some of the best piano on the album, Christina sings, “I see the pale moon rise. I see the weeping stars. I feel the tears in my eyes. I feel my bleeding scars. Oh father, tell me why. I seek the sense in my ways – Is this the time, that we shall die? Is this the end of all days? But still I do believe!
There is darkness in my mind. Yet there is all my faith – In times like this, what I find, are questions to the answers that you gave” Finally, Christina singing the song through, without growling. Wish the entire album had been with her vocal only; instead of just the album closer.

Shadowpath’s The Aeon Discordance, is a great album of music, unless you, are like me, and you absolutely dislike male growling in the music you choose to appreciate. Every note on this album is excellent. A very Dream Theater – like metal concept album, that is distracted from being great, because someone had to growl. Every track on this album would have been appreciated so much more without the growls. And the sad part is that Philipp Bohny has a good voice without the growls. I can definitely suggest the music, on this album, for all fans of Dream Theater and the like. Shadowpath is a good symphonic metal band. In fact, so many of these songs start out or sound like great Dream Theater songs, until the growls begin. Until Philipp Bohny leaves behind the growls, I’ll pass up their next release. Had enough growling here. If you like it, go for it! Real shame. Great music. Great music videos too.

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