Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Ebony Ark - Ebony Ark - 2004 Reviewed by: Nailer

Track Listing1. Open the Ark (overture) 2. Night's Cold Symphony 3. Stones in the Way 4. Farewell 5. Dreaming Silence 6. What A Feeling (cover)

There's a good bit of musical co-operation between a select group of Spanish power metal bands--Dark Moor, Dreamaker, Ebony Ark and Arwen to name some--from the mixing of members to helping out on songs.

Some examples:
* Ebony Ark drummer Jorge Saez is ex-Dark Moor and now plays in Dreamaker.
* Ebony Ark vocalist Beatriz Albert lent vocals to the new Dark Moor.
* Dreamaker vocalist Elisa C. Martin is ex-Dark Moor and has done guest vocals with Ebony Ark.
* Arwen member guest on Ebony Ark's CD.

Along with the comradery, you'll usually also find quite a similarity in the overall sound of the bands, but the songs on this Ebony Ark CD are surprisingly quite different from the sound of the others. Dark Moor and Dreamaker usually play a Helloween inspired power metal with some symphonic/orchestral elements and there's a steady flow to the rhythm guitar and drum work. Ebony Ark's approach leans more into progressive than power. Jorge Saez stretches out his drumming into unconventional patterning with the guitar essentially following along without playing straight ahead riffs. To the traditionalist, I am, it makes it hard to get into the disjointedness of the songs.

I do like a lot the female melodic singers out there and Beatriz Albert has a very controlled, sweet voice. She tends along the operatic more than the hard rock style of fellow vocalist Elisa Martin. The CD I have is in English, but her diction could use some more clarity.

Ebony Ark is a young band with a different sound than most other female-fronted bands, but there wasn't any hooks on this one to draw me in. Rating: 6.5 of 10.

--Nailer 05.25.04