Diabulus in Musica – Argia (2014)

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Left at a crossroad when three band members left the band in 2012, Diabulus in Musica comes back in full strength with their third release “Argia”. Featuring 13 songs and around 55 minutes of brilliant music, the band pushes the boundaries of their sound. Perfectly balancing aggression with lush symphonic elements, Diabulus in Music has crafted one of the best Symphonic/Gothic Metal releases of 2014.

The release opens with the very cinematic “Et Resurrexit (Libera Me)”, only to fully develop into the bombastic “From the Embers”. In the later track we have a strong Metal foundation with powerful riffs and harsh vocals. The ‘beauty and the beast’ approach works very effectively for Diabulus in Musica, perfectly blending Zuberoa Aznárez and Gorka Elso dynamic vocals. Zuberoa’s unique range is very characteristic and provides an identifiable signature for the band’s music.

Being less over the top and not as overly symphonic as many bands in the genre, “Argia” allows the listener to really enjoy all the classical elements the band incorporates into their music (like on “Maitagarri”). There is a certain cinematic feeling to tracks like “Furia de Libertad” – featuring Ailyn (Sirenia) that makes the songs feel more epic and special. Nicely contrasting, we have considerable heavier songs like “Spoilt Vampire” and “Mechanical Ethos” that further explore heavier Metal elements while keeping the band’s signature elements in place.

One of our favorite songs is the dramatic “Encounter at Chronos”, a track that features Thomas Thomas Vikström on vocals, giving it a certain Therion vibe. The instrumentation on this release is quite expansive, featuring a clarinet an oboe as well as other elements mixed here and there to provide authenticity to certain passages on the band’s music. After the intoxicating “Indigo”, the band closes with the perfect example of what they can do with the explosive “Healing”.

As a whole, “Argia” is a very dramatic and cinematic album that perfectly balances symphonic and Metal elements. Constantly evolving, Diabulus in Music continues to refine their sound and charm the audiences thanks to their unparalleled talent base with Zuberoa and Gorka at the helm of things. If you are a fan of Female-fronted Metal bands, this is one release you don’t want to miss.

Band: Diabulus in Musica Album: Argia

Label: Napalm Records

Release: April 15th, 2014

Oficial Site Social Media

Genre: Symphonic/Gothic Metal

Country: Spain

Rating: 90/100
Year: 

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