Search - Vanden Plas :: Seraphic Clockwork

4.5 stars - as always, worth the wait

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 06/23/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's been a while since the last Vanden Plas release (2006's Christ O), but one thing I've learned about this band is that they may keep you waiting, but when they do issue a new album it's always worth the wait. That trend holds true with The Seraphic Clockwork, the band's sixth studio album and first for the Frontiers label.



I can't imagine any Vanden Plas fan being disappointed with this one, mainly because The Seraphic Clockwork is so true to the band's core sound. The German band has always had a perfect blend of melodic and progressive metal, though on The Seraphic Clockwork the balance is definitely titled in the progressive direction. The musicianship is more technical, the sounds are multi-layered and the songs are generally longer and noticeably heavier. The album is still quite melodic in a way that should appeal to Frontiers' core customers. Like Christ 0, this is a concept album, and one that seems written for a future stage adaptation. I don't have a handle on the story yet, but the overall songwriting is impressive enough. It reminds me in many ways of Angra's epic Temple of Shadows.



Highlights include the soulful "Scars of an Angel," where vocalist Andy Kuntz trades off with a guest female vocalist who sounds a lot like Sarah McLachlan, and the 13-minute epic "On My Way To Jerusalem," which starts slow and builds to a powerful, soaring conclusion. The album closes with a bonus track, a live performance of the song "Eleyson," which I assume is from Kuntz's stage work on Jesus Christ Superstar. It's a cool enough addition, but doesn't really fit the album's overall style.



Vanden Plas is getting better at what they do with each release, and they've established themselves as one of the absolute best bands in the progressive metal arena. I'm still partial to the first couple of Vanden Plas albums, but The Seraphic Clockwork is a very impressive album that shouldn't disappoint the band's fans."

Depth and Breadth

Randy S. Sauntman | Los Angeles, CA USA | 06/27/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My first exposure to Vanden Plas was their phenomenal Christ-O. From there I worked my way backwards through their entire studio catalog. I wouldn't rank any of their releases lower than a 4-star. (Such an underrated band! They don't get nearly the recognition they deserve here in the States.) The band has become more progressive with each successive release. The Seraphic Clockwork continues this trend.



The Seraphic Clockwork was one of two albums to be released in 2010 I most anxiously awaited. The other is Kamelot's new album to be released later this summer.



Let me say, The Seraphic Clockwork was well worth the wait. It is brilliant! As Vanden Plas became more progressive, their music has gained depth. There are so many intricacies. As with previous Vanden Plas releases, one must listen to the album a number of times to fully absorb it. This is not background pop music, you must immerse yourself to truly appreciate it.



The album is definitely multi-layered. Not sure if it is more "metal" oriented than say Christ-O. The first track "Frequency" has some heavy guitar, reminiscent of Michael Romeo's (of Symphony X)guitar tone. There are definitely other heavy guitar riffs buried in the songs, but overall the album is a balance between heavy and delicate. Much like Christ-O in this respect. Great musicianship throughout.



All the songs on the album are excellent (not sure about the bonus track), but I personally especially like track #'s 4, 5 and 6 ("Sound of Blood", "The Final Murder" and "Quicksilver," respectively).



The Seraphic Clockwork is a concept album. I won't go into detail here as to the theme or story behind the album, the booklet inside the digipak contains the story. Some may feel the concept is "Bible thumping," while vocalist Andy Kuntz describes it as science fiction. I tend to view it as an alternate history fantasy. What really matters is that Vanden Plas released another outstanding album that could very well be their best yet. Vanden Plas fans will not be disappointed.







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I got something different than my expectation. The bar has

T. Reid | NJ | 07/09/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow this is quite a surprise coming from Vanden Plas. I have their previous album which had some killer tracks on it but as a whole it fell short to me. This album on the other hand nailed it cold. The semi-dark and moody feel of this album caught me off guard but this is the style of progressive metal that I love. Vocal textures and music play were turned up a notch on this album. I actually liked every song. Even though some are long you won't get lost in them. This album will bring you up and down at the drop of a dime so be prepared. Very mature album. A must have.



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