REFLECTION

Greece's REFLECTION has been releasing albums since 1992, yet its debut for traditional metal powerhouse Cruz Del Sur may be the one that pushes the name to the world stage. The act refers to itself as "Hellenic epic/doom metal" and the style heard on "When Shadows Fall" is in fact doomy, but the epic metal part is even more appropriate, although not in a RHAPSODY OF FIRE/BLIND GUARDIAN sense.

The songs are not of the 10-minute variety, nor does REFLECTION toss everything but the kitchen sink into the arrangements. Rather, the tracks are conventional from a verse-chorus-verse standpoint with several melodies that are at least competent and a handful that are outright persuasive (e.g. "Mistress of Sea", "Ghost Ship", "Kingdom of Fire"). The riffs are meant to impact without requiring deep thought. The soft keyboards of Iraklis Loukakis are mainly for atmosphere and melodic accent, and the backing/harmony vocals are of the choral variety, collectively giving the album its "epic" feel. It is in the subdued pacing (slow-to-mid-tempo) and the flowing, marginally operatic mid-range of vocalist Leo Stivala that gives the album its ceremonious shades of doom.

Stivala's vocals do take some getting used to. His singing has a way of initially seeming odd and eventually getting under your skin (in a good way) when the realization hits that his style actually enhances the melodies, rather than detracting from them. And that in large part sums up the album; it is one that doesn't really take hold until the third or fourth spin. Although the long player never really lets loose in a classic heavy metal manner (again, the approach is more of an unobtrusive one),the album does have its muscular and moving moments. "Eyes of the Night" has an Iommi-esque riff and a delivery that reminds of the more grandiose, Tony Martin-era BLACK SABBATH, while "Soul Salvation" has a stout riff/rhythm and the kind of melancholic tunefulness that arises when the guitar solos and harmonies launch. The closing track is an orchestral rendition of "Mistress of Sea" with operatic vocals that comes off convincingly.

Spend a little time with "When Shadows Fall" and chances are you will end up going back to it. As incurious as you may feel in the beginning the tunes have a way of sneaking up on you and sucking you back in. Most will find the disc to be a refreshing change of pace.