01) Seven Spires, Gods of Debauchery (Frontiers)
I’m genuinely surprised: someone dethroned an Epica album from my number one spot – and the band calls the USA home, of all places! I’ve been hugely impressed by team Spires ever since they filled in at ProgPower USA, given literally two days’ notice, where they blew away an entire audience with their unique blend of symphonic metal, blackened death metal, and prog. The band refers to this as “art without limits,” It applies to all of their catalog, but especially so here; they even channel their inner K-pop a bit on “Lightbringer,” complete with some choreography! There are so many wonderful textures at play on “Gods,” and these folks from Boston let their classical education shine here! There are so many fantastic moments on this record: Roy Khan (of Kamelot fame!) makes a gorgeous guest appearance on “This God is Dead,” the crushing baseline at the beginning of “Ghost of Yesterday,” Adrienne Cowan’s ability to switch from soaring highs to absolutely crushing growls, or even the line “Will you risk it all? Leave behind your defenses and break down your walls? Dare to live again?” in “Dare to Live” (how fitting for stepping back out into the world in 2021 – I still tear up every now and again when I hear that lyric and associate it with all that has gone on in the past two years) – this album is a precious gem, hands down.
Key Track: “This God is Dead”
