majestica hysteria
majestica hysteria

MajesticaAbove The Sky

Nuclear Blast
7 June, 2019
7
Hallowed Halls of Power Metal

Majestica is the reincarnation of Swedish power metal band Reinxeed. Now, after six years, the band spearheaded by Tommy Johansson, of Sabaton renown, is back with Above The Sky, their first album under their new name.

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Above The Sky is invigorated, revitalised, and superior in its ability to playfully celebrate why we all love power metal.

Opening with the dramatically beautiful strains of the title track, Above The Sky immediately showcases vocalist Johansson’s ability to sweep the listener off their feet, hitting the high notes with twinkling finesse. Above The Sky is appropriately celestial, oscillating between swelling orchestrated sections and pared back rhythmic sections featuring tough bass runs from Chris David. The impressive opening track is followed by the jovial galloping pace, and gallant vocal lines, of Rising Tide, to make for a positively empowering album opening.

Above The Sky grabs the listener at the start, delivers unexpected gems and some welcome surprises.

While the standard of power metal musicianship on Above The Sky is tremendous, thematically Majestica have opened the gates to apply their sound to some themes not usually associated with this genre. The colourfully sinister organ features in the suggestively titled Mötley True recount an intense mission for metal, while Night Call Girl is a brilliantly innovative track, invoking a seedy 1980s atmosphere with more than one foot in the grimy real world and conspicuously eschewing the opulent sense of uplift normally infused into power metal. Lyrically, lines offered by The Rat Pack, such as ‘your credit cards won’t help you when I call on my horde …’ hint at Majestica’s expansive and indeed humorous application of power metal prerogatives on Above The Sky. Majestica’s inventiveness takes its ultimate form in Father Time, which is playfully upbeat in an almost carnivalesque sense, and darkly hilarious lyrically.

There remains, however, a significant presence of classic power metal on Above The Sky, with the triumphant track The Legend and valiant tracks such as Future Land and the narrative-laden journey of The Way To Redemption. Closing with the resounding statement of almightiness in Alliance Forever, Above The Sky grabs the listener at the start, delivers unexpected gems and some welcome surprises.

With Above The Sky, Majestica offer outstanding power metal with a difference. Daring to venture beyond the usual thematic fare of the genre, and doing so not only innovatively but also with a great sense of humour make Above The Sky a class apart in the hallowed halls of power metal.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Rising Tide, Night Call Girl, The Legend
STICK THIS NEXT TO: Gamma Ray, Helloween, Twilight Force




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