The new masters of symphonic metal
king wolf | Jotunheim | 10/18/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Virgin Steele has done it. The evolution of the band is now complete. They are a fully symphonic and progressive (in the good sense of the word) melodic metal outfit now, and an absolute beast of a band at that. I had high expectations for this album, and they have exceeded them. Finally, David Defeis has begun to maximize even his enormous potential, writing better, more layered, more textured, more complex songs than ever before. As a vocalist, he has finally toned down the more extreme of his eccentricities, while remaining one of the most versatile and recognizable singers in metal. The guitars are as good as ever, with that beautifully sinister squealing tone that only Pursino seems to be able to coax out of a six-string, though they now are less of a dominating element in the overall sound. The production is the best of any V. S. album except perhaps the very heavy Invictus, and the rhythm section, again, sounds better than ever, with the addition of a full-time bassist and a digital drum kit.
What really stands out about this album, though, is the compositions. Virgin Steele has always been one of the very best bands at creating multi-sectioned epics that flow together naturally, but in this effort they have truly out-done themselves. Defeis has somehow divined the secrets of the great classical composers of old, for on this album he has that knack only they had, the knack for making you forget about the main musical theme until just the right moment, when it reappears to resolve and complete the whole song. The more you learn these songs, the more evident and effeective this technique becomes. Truly remarkable and truly ground-breaking.
If anything is capable of bringing this band the greater recognition they so richly deserve, it is this album, which should appeal to any progressive, symphonic, epic, or power metal fan with a pulse, or for that matter to any human being with a soul. Other bands had better be glad that art is not a competition, because if it were Virgin Steele would be winning by a large margin. Five stars is an understatement. This is a classic."
Pretentious and Boring
A. Coulson | Columbia SC USA | 07/14/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a VS fan for about 10 years, so I had high hopes for a new release. Sadly, this album misses the mark entirely IMO. First problem; the songs are much too long, dragging out for several minutes longer than they need to. Most tracks also adopt a relatively slow pace, which just makes them feel that much more drawn-out. Next problem; the songwriting is lackluster. At their best, VS create some of the most impassioned Metal out there, but at their worst the music comes across as simplistic and ridiculously pompous. Most of the tunes on VoE fall into the latter category. The drumming is horrific (sounds like a simple drum machine) and the other instrumentation is drowned out by the vocals and piano/keys. DeFeis has one of the most majestic voices in metal when he's 'on', but when he's not he comes dangerously close to just wailing away in a melodramatic fashion that leaves one shaking their head. Thus, I'm sad to say that this album is just not a worthy purchase, especially at import prices. Those wanting to hear the band at their peak should check out 'Invictus' (easily their finest hour) or 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part One'; both these albums create more passion and glory in one song than the entire VoE album does. While some metal fans seem to enjoy VoE, I suspect that they are not very familiar with the band's catalog, as I honestly think this album pales in comparison to many of their other works"
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1