Album Review: Vinide – Reveal (Inverse Records)

Having sprung to life in 2003, Finnish symphonic metal band ‘Vinide’ have had a glittering career but look to outdo everything they’ve done so far with their latest album. Reveal is Vinide’s third full length release & eighth overall. Due out on January 26th 2018 via Inverse Records, what we have here is a highly ambitious concept record.

‘Reveal’ is a science fiction story about a large information technology company ”OMEGA’s” former employee who finds himself locked in a mental asylum and is even sentenced to death. After he escapes the asylum he starts to find out what is really going on and what is the biggest interest of OMEGA’s artificial intelligence project. The fears of the future seem to come true meanwhile humankind is driving itself towards definite termination.

The story goes on and a lot of plot twists are going to happen. How big is the urge to create something that humans don’t fully understand? What is going to happen to our hero during his journey finding out the origin of everything?

White hot symphonic/power metal is what Vinide are all about. Comparisons to the likes of Nightwish are inevitable but Vinide make their mark by delivering hard & heavy metal riffs amongst the more soaring moments. The Breaking Scene, Breakout and The Rat are up-tempo numbers that showcase a range of intense guitar medleys, both male & female vocals & a rhythmic approach to symphonic metal that, while good, feels a little too familiar.

Familiar, yes but certainly not bad. The latter of the three (The Rat) is brilliant with such an affirming beat, excited riffing & wildfire soloing.

The slower, more melodic numbers have plenty of impact too. The title track, the sweet ballady moments of The Plan & the fist-pumping groove of The Bombs all stick in the mind.

At first it’s not really that compelling of a narrative, something that improves with the short interjection of short spoken word tracks. These moments are a great reminder that you’re listening to a concept album as the vocals are sometimes drowned out by the symphony & drums (seemingly to make up for a lack of bass).

The latter part of the hour-plus album focuses heavily on a more intense delivery of power metal as the story reaches its conclusion. Believe is a crunching effort that utilises exciting symphonic effects around a catchy chorus before ripping the rule book up with a darkened drum heavy moment near the end.

The mind does begin to wander as Another Dimension drops a solid but uninspired sounding effort & The Great Voyage fails to completely rekindle the fire. Concept album or not, there is only so much that a listener can enjoy & 14 songs in things are beginning to bleed into one-another.

Things do end on a high though as Vinide throw their all into one final, huge sounding, symphonic-heavy effort. Save the Earth sounds like a band re-energised & just in time to leave the listener with a big smile on their face. The upbeat & punchy pace, the computer voices & classic-horror keyboards results in a fine finish to an impressive effort.

Vinide – Reveal Full Track Listing:

1. Intro
2. The Beginning Scene
3. Breakout
4. Reveal
5. Anger
6. The Rat
7. Plea
8. Emanuel
9. The Truth
10. The Plan
11. Believe
12. The Bombs
13. Another Dimension
14. The Great Voyage
15. Save the Earth

You can listen to Vinide now over on Spotify, check out the first single via Apple Music below & order the album on Inverse Records’ store. Find out all you need to about Vinide via their website, Facebook Page, Twitter & Instagram feeds. You can also watch some of their videos on YouTube.