Since I have seen Phantom Elite during the lovely the Kracken Metal Rock Fest I can say I became a fan. I should have seen her with her other huge project called Exit Eden, but that one got cancelled due to be a false festival with no artist getting a signed contract. I missed it! This female fronted Dutch/Brazilian metal band really rocks and I miss them playing on stage!
Conjure Rains sounds like a classic female fronted metal track: a great voice, a good tempo and some pathos. Marina has a talented team around her and you hear it clearly! The Race sounds a bit rougher, tighter, faster and heavier. The song even gets a touch of symphonic metal. There is also a breakdown with a softer passage, showing she can do almost everything with her voice as it gets followed by an outburst (and more backings). Diamonds and Dark goes deeper down the symphonic path and vocal outbursts! This will be a killer track on stage (hey: I know, once it’s possible again and I really miss gigs a lot)!!! Worst Part Of Me gets more into the emotional zone but also gets some male grunts. It’s a song that has a lot of variation in it. This song also mixes metal with electronics. Glass Crown has already been released as a single and is pretty catchy, with a high speed and show off vocals! Rambling guitars that’s the first thing that catches my attention in the beginning of the title track Titanium. I also hear a computer voice and a rawer voice fighting against the clean and majestic vocals of Marina. This song mixes fragility with a more aggressive vibe and even a bit of blues. Bravado introduces some effects on her voice and gives it a special touch, whilst her regular voice is majestic and powerful. I hear some melancholia in this one and a bit of rage too. Silver Lining goes into a melancholic direction, with a slice of rage and most of all with powerful vocals that go high and low as if it’s a child’s game. The guitar play is also excellent! Deliverance starts slowly, but once they got the right temperature the song starts to bloom and becomes a great metal track with rambling guitars. Last one is Eyes Wide Open and is a real blast! This is what we all call: going out with a big boom! This is how every album should end! I love the energy, the speed, the passion, the magical vocals! Can’t wait to see them back on stage! I really miss it so much!
A clear thing: Marina La Torraca (Exit Eden, live vocals for Avantasia) is now what I call a confirmed star in the world of female fronted metal!
