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Genre: Avant-Garde Gothic/Progressive Metal

Metal Archives Rating: 98%

1. Preface
2. Chrysalis
3. Beyond the Sky
4. Khamsin
5. Reflections
6. Awake
7. The Golden Vortex of Kaltaz
8. The Secret of Time
9. Stolen Tears
10. Trance: H.L.4
11. The Bottle of Lie

Download at Mediafire
Akphaezya at Myspace
Read a Review

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Released less than a year ago, this incredible avant-garde masterpiece is already turning heads, especially mine; my mouth dropped open the first time I heard it. It's important to note the sheer amount of genres and different types of instruments Akphaezya utilize. Throughout this record, I hear everything from heavy, pounding progressive metal to soft-as-a-butterfly jazz. Each and every track is breathtakingly unique, never getting stale or stagnant.

The vocalist is something else; she freely incorporates numerous different vocal styles all through this piece, from the rare coarse, growled grunt, to operatic Broadway vocals to quiet whispering, to more extreme and melodic singing. She's incredible at what she does. If anything, grab this album for the vocals. If that's not enough to sway you, open those ears and have a listen to the instrumental aspect! Mind-boggling! Eye-popping! Hair-raising! Spine-tingling! PERFECTION.

As mentioned before, this album does not conform to any standards; it's in a league of its own. Multitudes of instruments are beautifully incorporated, not just thrown in like some bands and I find myself more and more impressed with every listen. This will never get old because every spin of this album will reveal new and exciting features that you hadn't noticed the previous listen!

I think I even heard a slide-flute in one song!

10/10