Beyond Twilight
Section X

I am particularly addressing Power Metal enthusiasts, that fantastic genre that has made metallic melody a complex and ever-evolving genre. I am addressing those who, like me, have seen or sensed a decline in the genre, a plunge into an environment made up of already-heard and false notes, tired and overused themes.
Not all is lost; it is not true that power is only the fantasy type that has expanded the misdeed of "musical cloning." It happens to listen to albums that are essentially Power Metal offering complex and futuristic, innovative, and original sounds, which in turn introduce new techniques and instrumental innovations. For this, I recommend everyone to listen to "Section X" by Beyond Twilight, a fantastic Power album wrapped in Prog that the band classifies as "Epic-rock."
Epic because it is clear the association of melody with an epic context indeed but not fantasy in Rhapsody style; there are no guitar duels and fiddling, but rather piano solos and slightly dark drum pumps.
Rock because in this Power metal, instead of those keyboards with modern digital effects and invoking distorted guitar solos, there are raw guitar riffs and cold sounds that take a lot from the classic.

This is how the band is advertised; objectively, we have a Power that is not so customary because it is Progressive, but alternated by operatic elements and typically rock snippets, in a dark domain. The production is remarkable, the record is recorded in three different studios, and each track is conceived on a parallax composed of as many as 550 different audio tracks.
Finn Zierler, the keyboardist, is the Leader of the Band, while it seems that Kelly Sundown Carpenter is on vocals, who emerged as the result of a long selection to replace the previous Jorn Larnde.

Being a progressive album by nature, it is remarkable that continuous changes of atmosphere, tone, solos, and various contexts seem to want to "perform"; everything is indeed sprinkled with a touch of "theatricality."
The story is about a mad scientist capable of analyzing and managing the maximum power of the human brain thanks to a clone drugged with a particular substance, but the clone exploits his special ability in a way not very much conforming to the scientist's expectations. In "The Path of Darkness", we have pure heavy-hearted rock guitars and riffs where a rough and wicked voice skillfully maneuvers, wriggling in incredible high-pitched screams of rage, which suddenly transforms into a melodic and choral interpretation typical and essential of the Power Metal genre. Choruses, and faint keyboards in the background, technical solos, and a prolonged raspy voice.
Great solos in "Shadows Self", the typical representation of what Epic Rock truly and effectively is.
"Sleeping Beauty" is the most theatrical and overwhelming song on the album, consisting of two alternating tempos, one with a steady and calm piano and another aggressive and wicked, full of chilling sounds.
"Dark Side" is spectacular and insane, a dive into human madness where music is more than able to draw a crazy and dangerous environment in which the listener dramatically finds themselves. Things become calm, tranquil, and relaxing with "Portrait F in Dark Waters", a purely instrumental piece of keyboards alternating classical pieces with others of crazy eccentric melody.
But the greatest peak of aggression is reached with "Ecstasy Arise" with its overwhelming pure metal rhythms, while the progressive nature is best represented in the last song, the title track, "Section X".

"Section X" by Beyond Twilight, even if indeed it is a bit overpraised, is a beautiful album that can appeal to lovers of Rock, Epic, Power, and Prog.