SERENITY – “Codex Atlanticus”
Codex Atlanticus – that is the title of the fifth studio album from the symphonic metallers SERENITY. In the tradition of their last releases, the lyrics are inspired by historical happenings and personalities.
In case of “Codex Atlanticus” this honor goes to Leonardo da Vinci. His life and work was the main-inspiration for the compositions. Beside him, the story is about the Illuminati, conspiracy theories and so forth. Those story-telling lyrics are set into an orchestral sound. So, two things are omnipresent: the bombastic orchestra and the leading voice of Georg Neuhauser. One time it’s loud, with heavy guitars (‘Spouts of Terror’), another time calm down (‘The perfect Woman’). The quality of the music is top notch!
Each instrument gets enough places to work and its well mixed up. The vocals are not sung in that typical power-metal-style: high man-voices with a little bit too much pathos. Neuhauser sings calmer but powerful. Nonetheless pathetic, but hey, that is kind of obligatory for this genre. To add one negative point: after the first listening to “Codex Atlanticus”, none of the songs stay in mind, in large parts the songs don’t know what they want to be: a power-ballad , heavy metal or a whole movie soundtrack? Or better said: every song wants everything to be. Listen to it a third and a fourth time you can discover a lot of detailed work. So it stays definitely fascinating!
For everyone who likes the collaboration of metal and soundtrack, “Codex Atlanticus” is a great suggestion. The focus is quite clearly on the orchestral composition and vocals/lyrics. SERENITY knows how to compose and play bombastic symphonic metal at its best and guide the listener to another time and place. Let´s go to a journey – Italy in the 16th century is waiting for you!
Tracklist:
01. Codex Atlanticus
02. Follow me
03. Sprouts of Terror
04. Iniquity
05. Reason
06. My final Chapter
07. Caught in a myth
08. Fate of Light
09. The perfect Woman
10. Spirit in Flesh
11. The Order