Skeptical Minds is based in Belgium but has members who are originated from Poland, Italy to Greece! The female fronted industrial/metal has it’s own sound and works together with the very talented Alain Poncelet who created a comic book for this album (as the follow up to what he did with Omega Thanatos). I saw them on stage years ago and was really blown out of my socks and was looking forward to get the new album! Let’s enjoy this special trip together!
The Awakening is literally what the title says: a soft awakening with an angelic touch in the vocals, an acoustic guitar, a bas guitar in the back, soft drums, a synth that takes the epic sounding parts out of the package deal and an electric guitar that jumps in every now and then. It’s a real beauty!
Desert is a dark trip on a strange planet that is not ours. The song is louder and harder then the previous one. I like the bass!
The Old Man mixes industrial with metal. The vocals stay on the sweet path and are yet loud enough to understand between the heavy and yet melodic sound.
Compass starts with rambling guitars and some kind of guttural vocals before our night queen starts to sing. The sound is pretty sweet, although the lyrics make you wander what will happen next.
Cocoon rocks a bit more, has a slightly harder sound and more variation too. The song is about a player of a game that loses itself within the game.
Reunion starts with a dreaming guitar sound: softly and gently. Karolina’s voice sounds very angelic. The lyrics are romantic, but there’s a dark cloud all over it.
The Key starts with a horn that blows, drums and guitar. Slowly the song changes into a soft rocker with dreampop minded vocals.
Rebels rocks a bit more, but is getting reigned by Karolina’s angelic voice. I hear a bit of electronics in the background.
The Training has rocking guitars, a bit of electronics and heavenly vocals on the lead. Towards the end the tempo goes up.
War Is Coming is one of the hardest tracks on this album and has guitar sound that reminds me of some other metal band (but can’t think about the right title and name of the band). I also hear more pathos in this song and Karolina’s voice even sounds a bit different (screams included).
The Path is the last song and gets back to the softer side of the band (floating heavenly dreampop vocals). The sweetness reigns.
I must say that the production made a step forward: it all sounds warm, melodic and very professional! Don’t forget to check the great artwork done by Alain Poncelet! The global sound is softer then I expected. I’m curious how it will work out on stage. As I have a good connection with the band I asked about it and got this as answer: “this album is softer because the story happens in the world between here and the realm of death "Thanatos". It's the transition between both. The third album of the trilogy will happen in the dark world of the deaths. It will be dark, heavy, stronger and more brutal contrast will be there.”
This explains it all! Hope you’ll enjoy the beauty of the vocals, the nice guitar riffs, resonating drums and special electronic effects! See you on stage!
