Review | Serenity – Nemesis A.D.

Napalm Records

The first single is ,,The Fall Of Man”, featuring Roy Khan (Conception, Kamelot), from the new eighth studio Serenity release ‘Nemesis A.D.’. It is a bombastic song, packed with impressive musical twists and turns. It promises a lot for the rest of this new Austrian symphonic metal album.

CONCEPT ALBUMS

Serenity is known for their thematic, so-called concept albums, inspired mostly by historic characters. For this new album singer Georg Neuhauser and Co., also featuring newcomer guitarist Marco Pastorino, drew inspiration and ideas from the life of Albrecht Dürer, the famous German renaissance painter. The overture, called ,,Memoriae Alberti Dureri”, is a short (1:33) a cappella track sung by a choir, and almost an overture for a dramatic opera.

MUSICAL HIGHLIGHT

The first single follows. A track where Khan as a guest singer truly shines, before we enter into ,,Ritter, Tod und Teufel (Knightfall)”. An up tempo, orchestral, almost singalong track, featuring, for the very first time, lyrics partially sung in German. ,,Nemesis” is a 100% pure epic track, while ,,Crowned By An Angel” is melancholic. The following ,,Soldiers Under The Cross” is the heaviest, metal-like song of the album. Musical highlight is ,,Reflections (of AD)”, the most diverse track of the entire album where all the band members stand out.

TOO PREDICTABLE

However, I also have to say that some melodies, riffs and hooks really sound TOO familiar. The choruses of tracks like ,,Sun Of Justice” and ,,The End Of Babylon” are absolutely TOO predictable. But overall, Serenity did an outstanding job with this symphonic metal album. For fans of Kamelot, Epica and Conception this is a MUST have album of 2023. My cliché advice: play it f…. LOUD!!

Release date: 27 October 2023