Album Reviews : Voyager – I am the reVolution

It’s not often an album comes around that has this perfect level of balance, and it’s even rarer that you get two consecutively from the same band. Just like Voyager’s last album, every song here is a single. Every song is catchy, chock full of infectious melodies.

The highlight? The interweaving growls, whispers and Daniel Estrin’s fantastic low clean vocals in opener “Land of the Lies”. Actually it’s the bouncy keyboard melodies in “Common Ground”, or perhaps the desperate feel of “Lost”, or maybe the incredible catchy chorus (both musically and vocally) of single “The Devil In Me”. And so forth for every track. It’s the type of album where your favourite song is whichever is playing.

‘I am the reVolution’, the Perth band’s third album, is even lusher and more melodic than its predecessors. They keys are more prominent than ever and there’s a heavier focus on electronic influences, to the stage where it could turn some of their metal fans off a bit. Others however, like me, will be praising the band. Despite those changes, the further departure from their early metal days, and the combination of infectious melodies and pop-like choruses, they never sound weak. That solid, strong base and the occasional heavier moments (see “Lost” and “On The Run From The World”) are perhaps the only elements that are keeping the band’s toes in metal realm.

Genres and styles aside, I really didn’t think the band could top their phenomenal 2007 release ‘uniVers’. It was essentially flawless. But they have, with improvements in every area. The melodies are more complex, with a denser layer of sounds dancing around. It’s a similar development to Amorphis, however Voyager’s songs still come together with a sense of simple fun, something ‘Skyforger’ was severely lacking. The guitars and keyboards move in perfect synergy meaning that no matter how complex the part may be, the final product is pure entertainment. It just sounds fun.

Voyager’s last two albums have seen them shoot straight up, and rightfully so. The band deserve to be right at the forefront of Australian melodic metal alongside Vanishing Point, Eyefear and our other big-name bands. 9.2/10

For fans of: Vanishing Point, Depeche Mode, Royal Hunt.

Band: Voyager
Album: I am the revolution
Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive metal/rock
Label: Dockyard 1/Riot! Entertainment
Origin: Perth, Western Australi
myspace.com/voyageraustralia

Track listing:
1. Land of the Lies
2. Common Ground
3. Lost
4. The Devil In Me
5. Close Your Eyes
6. Total Existence Failure
7. Straight to the Other Side
8. In My Arms
9. Times Like These
10. On the Run from the World <- Reviewers choice
11. Without a Sigh
12. I am the revolution