Attractive Chaos is back, with a new album, Tame and Conquer, arriving on August 14th! They have had several festival shows and have supported some female metal leaders in the genre, last year and recently. Tame and Conquer is the perfect sequel to their award-winning debut, The Fire Between Us.
This year they have most recently supported the Hellcats tour, and last year they teamed up with one of my favorite female-fronted metal bands, Phantom Elite.
For Tame and Conquer, they remind us of the famous William Shakespeare quote, that Rush, most eloquently used within a song’s lyrics. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.”
The focus, or theme of Tame and Conquer, is: “Fierce dramas of the human heart are acted out upon the stage of a lifetime. The storms of fervor and desire, the gloom of doubt instilled by repression, the brilliant, blinding light of realization and new-found self-belief; blazing sunshine cutting through the clouds of deprecation and control. We fall like the Morningstar and rise again like the phoenix. Such brief, tempestuous lives we lead, brave flames in the darkness of eternity; tiny passion plays, triumphs and tragedies, flickering sparks in the cold and endless night”.
Attractive Chaos is still made up of: Emma Elvaston, on lead vocals; Pietro Paolo Lunesu, on bass and backing vocals; Clément Botz, on lead guitar and backing vocals and growls; The drums on Tame and Conquer are performed by Thomas Calegari; and guest vocals are performed by Gabriele Gozzi, on the album closer, “Obsession”.
So, let’s see if we can Tame and Conquer, this leopard of an EP.
Wow, what a difference time can make. This EP, Tame and Conquer, is a masterpiece. Not that the debut wasn’t good, but this sounds like a whole new band. Emma’s voice has matured and sounds even better than it did on The Fire Between Us. The calm and confident delivery she produces on “Words on a Letter”, the best song on the album, is definitive. But, we will get to that one later.
The EP opens with the first single, “To the Moon”. And it might as well be as big as Frank Sinatra’s classic. But no, this is Attractive Chaos’ over 4 minute wonder. The song has a supporting music video, which shows the usual way this band, just jumps onto the scene and starts playing. They arrive ready to provide pyro fire shots and bombastic drums with electric lead guitar, while the bass pounds with enthusiasm. Emma sings, “Travelling to the Moon, on my mystical broom. I know it’s a lot to handle now. I know you may never understand. I’ve chosen to believe there is a promised land for all. To search for it. To find it. I know!” She sings and the band plays from some AI created stage on Moon Base Alpha, or a starship bridge. An amazing song and a great video. Off to a fantastic start, for sure.
Then, things go in the absolutely wrong direction on “Magical Powers”. This song opens, not with the beautiful vocals of Emma, but rather the mean-spirited, growling vocals of Clément Botz. Why? Why break the great rhythm and sound, you opened with on, “To the Moon”? I don’t understand the modern need to growl on female-fronted metal. Leave it for trash, black, and dark metal albums. We…I don’t want to hear it on a female-fronted metal album or EP. Save this stuff for a Botz solo album and show. Only six tracks on the EP, and this one is off to a terrible start. The music that opens the song is excellent! Killer drums and electric guitar. Emma tries to raise her voice above Botz, but it an unfair fight. Finally he ceases; and allows her to take the front of the stage. I cannot even understand Botz’s growling; but hopefully you can. I am probably not alone. What a waste of sound. Give him a solo album to engage this stuff. Thankfully, Emma does take over more and more of the song, as time goes by. The music is amped and cool. However, this was a lost moment for the band. So sad. Such an excellent EP, with five great songs. Over four minutes lost…well, almost lost. Thanks, Emma, for taking back the stage.
“Words on a Letter”, is the longest; at over 6 minutes, and the best song on the album. The music video, is a beautiful backdrop, from the Bosa in Rock Show, from May 2023; on the Island of Sardina, in Italy. (Only suggestion, film it again this year during the daytime – that backdrop is absolutely out of this world, spectacular!). The song is perfect in its intense musical qualities, including great synched bass, eloquent electric guitar, and solid drumming. But Emma steals the show, with tempered vocal delivery and soft, emotional peaks and valleys. The range on her voice has doubled and she delivers the wonderful lyrics with, well; Fish said it best, on the song “Assassing”. (I’m not sure Emma will know who Fish is, but that is what Google is for). Fans of progressive rock will know, for sure. Emma, has a “Tongue forged from eloquence. Listen as the syllables of (emotion), score with calm precision”. She “Unsheathes the blade within the voice, my friend”. Indeed! Most likely, this song was inspired by all the fan mail she and the band must receive. She ends the song so poetically, “All I wanted was to share with you. To get to know you. And share your destiny, with the best of me. If you come back to me. I will be waiting for you on the high seas!” Best lyrics on this or any other Attractive Chaos EP.
“Finally”, opens with cool, pulsating electric guitar and drums. Emma is back in the lead again. This over 4 minute song, sounds a little like the music off their first EP, but Emma’s voice is better, and her responses are quicker. The choruses are excellent, and the keyboards sound great. The lyrics are delivered with even more emotion than the last EP.
Fascinating keyboards and orchestration open “Right Now”. A deep, darker sound complete with heavy speed drumming ensues. Emma sings; thankfully. No Botz yet, despite the darkness. Emma seams to be calling out for someone she loves. Botz is there, but more as an echo. That I can handle, just don’t give him the front of the stage…on Attractive Chaos albums. He is a very good electric guitarist. Let’s keep that going! Really wish I didn’t have to talk about this so much. But I didn’t put it on the EP.
“Obsession”, is the over 5-minute album closer. It features, guest vocalist, Gabriele Gozzi. Now, this made perfect sense. If you want a duet with Emma, this is your guy. Great voice. They do an excellent job dueting, on this acoustic guitar – filled masterpiece. Botz, wedges his way in, after the power chords take off; but he is quickly forgotten, when Gozzi and Emma duet. Gozzi sounds a little like Michele Guaitoli, from Visions of Atlantis, and that would not be a bad idea to include him on the next EP. Nonetheless, Attractive Chaos does seem to be innovating into new music, filled with flamenco guitar. And yes, it’s, “searing intensity and bewitching melody coalesce in serene sonic alchemy”, full of piano, strings, and cinematic music that just drips with power. The duet between Gozzi and Elvaston is magic. This is the way to go, give Botz more flamenco to learn and steer him away from the growling…I like it!
Attractive Chaos’ Tame and Conquer, is an improvement over The Fire Between Us. That is all that any writer or fan could ask from a band, on a new album. They have expanded the sound and made it more cinematic and emotional. “Words on a Letter”, will hopefully be the template for the next album. That is the way to tame and conquer the world of female-fronted metal. Not through growling and ranting. I was a little hard on Botz, but he is a fantastic guitarist. I just wish he’d play guitar on Attractive Chaos albums, and let Emma do the singing. Keep connecting with your fans in the only way Emma knows how to…with emotional songs and beautiful smiles of encouragement.
Track List:
- To the Moon – 4:11
- Magical Powers – 4:18
- Words on a Letter – 6:08
- Finally – 4:44
- Right Now – 4:40
- Obsession – 5:04
Tame and Conquer was mixed and mastered at Domination Studio (Nightmare, Karl Sanders, Twilight Force etc.). Attractive Chaos have once again entrusted the creation of the cover art to Mickael Briot of Mythrid Art (Evenflow, In Defilade etc.) with spectacular results.
Band Website and Social Media Links:
contact@imperativepr.co.uk
https://imperativepr.co.uk
http://www.attractive-chaos.com/https://www.facebook.com/attractivechaosband
https://www.instagram.com/attractive_chaos
YouTube and Music Video Links:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx9etFbjw4DuMyRmj0QFOpA