Lyria - Immersion

It seems to me that symphonic metal bands are playing a very important, though not properly understood, role these days. They are filling in the blanks for more a pop-oriented crowd who’s not used to music with a heavier grip. They have the right dose of melody to please pop fans, and the right dose of punch to build a Metal fan base. And believe me it’s a very hard task to accomplish. Lyria, by the way, do that very well. “Immersion” is an album which can satisfy both crowds. They manage really well both sides of their music, melody and aggression. When you have such a female voice like Aline Happ’s, there’s no way of avoiding more melodic themes to reach out a wider public. The real problem is how to handle both. Some bands failed miserably in the past trying to do so.

In fact, the way the market is divided these days, there may be not so difficult at all as we may think. There are a specific fan base to each subgenre of Metal. This is only one more. But Lyria seem to be in the right path. Songs like “Follow the Music” really do the magic of making us follow the music as in a Metal version of Pied Piper of Hamelin. There’s no way of denying that songs like “Get What You Want” and “Let Me Be Me” have such a heavy grip with some touches of modern Metal as the duet with a male vocal lead it to. Guitar riffs and bridges are also catchy and meaningful. In fact, Lyria’s symphonic parts are in songs like “Best of Me” and its folk grip with bagpipe like parts. Of course, the highlight in “Immersion” is Aline Happ’s voice contrasting with strong guitar riffs and heavy drumming as in “Hard to Believe.”

Lyria, unlike their peers, aren’t so keyboard oriented. That makes them harder than their peers, and that satisfies more hardcore Metal fans. “Last Forever” and “Run to You” are power ballads that work fine. Bottomline, “Immersion” is a fine album that may please not only the hardcore Metal fan but also a wider public.

Lyria “Immersion” was released on April 11th.

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