Imperia
Queen Of Light

The Imperia, always known as the personal project of singer Helena Iren Michaelsen (ex Trail Of Tears), have come to notoriety more for Michaelsen's striking physical appearance than for the music they play.

In fact, the previous album "The Ancient Dance of Qetesh" (2004) was nothing more than a fragile concoction of clichés (see oriental itineraries and quirky orchestrations scattered here and there without the slightest sophistication); it was easy to foresee that things would follow this trajectory. Three years after the unseemly debut and following the brief hiatus with the solo project Angel (with the album "A Woman's Diary Part I" from 2005), a terrific chance for redemption presents itself like a godsend for the beautiful Dutch singer and her creation. Strengthened by a renewed lineup (including the old fox Jan Yrlund, a veteran of symphonic metal) and a contract with the revitalized label Massacre Records, Imperia reemerge onto the scene with an album perfectly aligned with the latest releases from fellow countrymen After Forever and Within Temptation.

"Queen of light" presents itself as a monumental work (its duration nearly 64 minutes), meticulously crafted in every aspect, showcasing an evolved and finally intelligent style that, compared to the aforementioned bands (certainly more praised by critics and fans), enjoys (or features, depending on the perspective) only less catchiness. Imperia's sound is thus a bit different from what we've been accustomed to, yet still majestic, engaging, and able to find the right balance among its components; a bittersweet blend of contrasts that will not fail to astonish even those who thought the latest from After Forever was the 'definitive' symphonic metal album. The guitar component still needs refinement, but don't think you're facing a lackluster album like many that have flooded the market in recent years.

The opener "Mirror" is rather standard, but the following "Fly like the wind" (the first real song to especially showcase the singer's great stylistic abilities) should make this point clear. A sweeping melodic metal embraces epic orchestrations in an educated and spontaneous manner, never exceeding in pretentiousness. Even in ballad territory, they know how to move adroitly; "Broken wings", initially accompanied by orchestrations and piano that later join the tempo set by the drums and a calm voice, unfolds into a pathos-laden refrain (becoming more lyrical as the song progresses), culminating in a goosebump-inducing bridge (enriched by a solo that can be described as sweet and harmonious), closing with a finale full of pure melancholy. It should be noted that the song durations are quite long compared to the standards; this factor, along with the numerous tempo changes, shows that the intent to place a chart-topping hit never even crossed these artists' minds, who might thus appeal even to a demanding audience like the prog one.

Helena's voice is superb and well above average, far surpassing that of numerous colleagues, and thanks to an unmistakable versatility, it is second to none. Another testament to this claim is "Braveheart", a genuine gem: captivating in the verses, explosive in the devastating impact of the chorus, lyrical, and progressive in other parts. With "Facing Reality," the blonde vocalist opts to focus on the dramatic interpretation, aided by an unobtrusive rhythm section and romantic piano notes, not to mention another restrained guitar solo. Nonetheless, the ethnic element recurring in the previous release hasn't been shelved; the band displays an innate skill in blending atmospheres evoking different locations and cultures worldwide. But the surprises don't end there, the temporal sphere is also called into play, thanks to a solid bridge that in many tracks connects antiquity and the present. "Norway" exemplifies this concept well because it manages to incorporate Nordic and Middle Eastern elements into its mix, adding a small cameo of symphonic black metal complete with growl on display; needless to say, the result does not disappoint expectations. Darkness closes the notes of "Abyssum" in a blind grip, an intense semi-ballad in the full style of the latest After Forever, complete with prominent lyrical vocals. "The birth of..." is a mystical and atmospheric interlude (with an infant's cry in the background) structured on immense synths and vocalizations, serving as a prelude to the title track, which immediately explodes in a power-style assault and features a chorus with Arabian tones. "Queen of light" is the only one that ultimately might also appear a bit too canonical, redundant, and very similar to some songs by Epica (like "Seif Al Din" for example).

The ecstasy might seem to have reached its end, but it's with the trio closing the album that the band unveils their trump cards. "Fata Morgana" represents the medieval apex of the platter, through which Helena manages to showcase a new style, this time very evocative and palpable simultaneously, with a bittersweet folk flavor. But it's with "The Calling" that we encounter the apotheosis of the mixture of styles so longed for but perhaps never fully achieved by the Finns Nightwish. Michaelsen launches into an unpredictable interpretation, bordering on madness and hysteria, staining the refrain with a perverse and divine lyrical singing, tainting a leitmotif that initially seemed to take on Celtic connotations. Classical music with epic and dark feeling, operatic voices, heavy metal, progressive hints... All this cyclically returns in every episode of this LP, of which the piece in question becomes a masterpiece and a perfect synthesis of the sonic dimension it contains. Know finally that the gothic flavor has been carefully measured: the twelve songs on the list breathe in unison in a harmony breath, the same that is diligently expressed by the voice of the frontwoman, never as now able to express her inner world, where melancholy is a ghost hovering omnipresent in the ether, but where depression and the blues seem only painful and distant memories (perhaps explaining the title, which only metaphorically alludes to a mythological-esoteric sphere), like those emerging in "Missing You", a song that wouldn't look out of place even in a Dark Sanctuary album, a dramatic frame where ancestral vocalizations and dreamlike whispers marry the November weeping of a violin.

"Queen of light" is yet another excellent work from an increasingly inspired and convincing scene, which risks being treated with indifference only for arriving later, by an audience perhaps more inclined to follow well-publicized bands (remember that the most illustrious colleagues of Imperia have record contracts with significant media weight) than to assess the actual quality of an offering. If Within Temptation become more direct and passionate, and if After Forever modernize the genre by adding more and more fuel to the fire (sometimes too much), Imperia sits exactly halfway between these two groups (only with a small dose of extra insights, they might find themselves on everyone's lips one day), thanks also to the work of a vibrant and elegant artist, intriguing and multifaceted like Helena, who more than anyone else managed to imprint an additional and unmistakable touch of femininity on music otherwise difficult to distinguish.

"Queen of light" is thus the best opportunity to read in the pages of this woman's heart and find a bit of light in the darkness that day by day takes over and preys on our lives.