Jaded Star | Memories From The Future
Label: Sensory
Release Year: 2015
Country: Multinational
Genre: Progressive Power Metal
Band Members
Maxi Nil -Vocals
Kosta Vreto -Guitars
Babis Nikou -Bass/Synths
Raphael Saini -Drums
Contact Links
Jaded Star Official Facebook Page
Jaded Star Official Youtube Channel
I really do not know why it has taken me seven months to write this review up. I remember receiving Jaded Star’s Memories From The Future back in March of this year. I was never able to put this album down for a few reasons. One thing that first grabbed my attention was the fact that former Visions Of Atlantis vocalist Maxi Nil found her a new band and home. She was coming this time with a more progressive power metal backbone with former Iced Earth drummer Raphael Saini. The band would be rounded out with Greek guitar sensation and Wardrum guitarist Kosta Vreto and Open Paradises’ own Babis Nikou on bass.
Jaded Star’s Memories From The Future carries some very traditional power progressive elements and some not so power progressive elements. While coming from diverse backgrounds, Maxi Nil and Raphael Saini have brought collective and conventional power metal elements with more catchy elements and progressions that are sure to hook the listener. Memories From The Future is one of more stronger debuts of 2015.
The Mask starts with a thunderous rhythm section with heavy blast beats and heavy bottom bass. It then proceeds towards a more harmony based composition with guitar and keyboard melodies. About the :52 mark Maxi Nil comes in this time with a more aggressive power metal vocal than what some are used to with her from VOS days. The Mask serves as a great first track in the arrangement to entice even the most discriminating of audio pallets.
Wake Up begins with some nice ultra keyboard work before exploding into a full on melodic assault. Maxi Nil has some great overdubs for background vocals. They have a nice catchy echoing effect. Kosta Vreto is all over the fret board on this track. Between the vocal and Kosta’s guitar work and Babis on keyboards the track is a solid one.
Keep On Fighting has a beautiful piano intro before the heavier progressions take the track in another direction. :43 mark there is a nice fade out and down with the instrumental and Maxi’s vocal takes a more isolation to personalize the track more. Keep on Fighting takes on a heavy AOR progression at various time throughout the track. At the 3:45 mark the band continue to take a more vintage metal approach with a great guitar solo.
Stars begins with some good keyboard work before the senses are assaulted with a power progression. Stars is one of the more emotional tracks on the album. There are some good backing vocal points as well on this one. It is also a very commercially friendly track for radio that still considers 3:00 songs art. That however does not take from the great work on Stars.
Into The End Of Time starts with a semi electric guitar before the power progression picks up. Into The End Of Time starts to see the band experiment with different keys and registers. The band seems to be opening up a little more on this one. Once again their is also a lot of experimentation in the vocal department. They also have more time signatures yet without straying too much from their point.
Healing The Inner Child starts off with a great drum solo passage before the band begins to experiment once again with electronica and Darkwave keyboard styles. The vocals are more of a power progression yet still maintain some harmony in and out with the lead to backing overdubs. This track has very light Gothic structures within in it. The rhythm section is taking some chances here as well.
You’ll See begins much like a old school power ballad with modern power metal elements. There are some great heavy rhythmic time signatures and vocal exchanges going in and out. The solo on this one really takes the track to another level.
In Memory begins with a great atmospheric semi electric semi acoustic guitar with a great isolation of vocal to make the track a more intimate experience to the listener. The lyrical content is very personal as well. This is the definite ballad on the album. This track will serve the band well during live sets to give other members a rest in middle of set. I do have some speculation whether the band will employ a back up choral section with all the rich backing vocals on this one.
Racing In Sao Paulo starts out with a good solid rhythmic guitar intro. The title is probably obvious since Raphael Saini is from Brazil. However it does not take away that note for note this track is just as strong as any other on the album. It has a nice eletric piano in the background accenting the various time signtures and progressions. At the 3:40 mark this track takes some serious heavy rhythmic directions.
Innocence ends the album in a very mellow yet gentle rhythmic way. It is focused definitely around a charging signature for sure. This is matched by a good solid keyboard accent and some great backing vocal overdubs.
Make no mistake Jaded Star are not a quote “Supergroup“. They did establish their own catchy groove and sound on this one. They do have a identity as to not bring a entire sound from the perspective bands they come or came from. This band will be talked about not only in the ‘female fronted metal’ circuits but the general metal population. If this band does hold together the future can be bright for them. I give this 4/5 for the different experimentation they employed on the album.
