That’s the Power Metal I am talking about. Fast, furious, relentless, powerful, and emotional, very emotional. Exactly what Vision Divine with the EP “A Clockwork Reverie” present the fan. Metal music needs some anger, some aggression to be even though most modern versions of it kind of lack them willingly in the name of new emotions – I guess. Throught my reviews here I have reinforced that Metal music is a music of emotions, I mean, Metal music reaches, or tries to reach, all kinds of human emotions throught the songs, and, not only via the music, but also from its imagery and iconography. However, aggression must trump other emotions the way I see Metal music. Melodies are important, yes I agree, but aggression and some kind of anger are also needed to make good Metal music.
“A Clockwork Reverie” is the EP that marks the return of vocalist Michele Luppi and keyboard Oleg Smirnoff. It is also a return to Vision Divine‘s initial sonic proposal. I cannot say if “Identities,“”God Is Dead,“and”The 25th Hour” are re-releases. I could not find this information in the press release, but I can tell Sator Rotas, tittle track “A Clockwork Reverie,” “18 (It Feels like Heaven)” and “Andromeda” are brend new songs. This album is much faster than 2024s “Blood and Angels’ Tears“ and the attitude – the thing that really matters – is totally different. There is that will to make some noise. There is that will to blast forever. Hence, the will that really matters to a Metal band.
The album is opened up by the mysterious “Sator Rotas (intro)” which is an speech in French. Tittle track “A Clockwork Reverie“ comes with a technoque that many Power Metal bands seem to have forgotten, that is the double bass drums doubling with the bass producing a magnificient wall of sound that blasts the ears of the fan like a power tool. The track is able to blend fiercy guitars with some melodic lines from the keyboards and Michele Luppi’s voice. Put simply, the kind of Power Metal I love. When the blend technoque and emotion works great there is no better scenario. As it could not be different from the Power Metal band mass, “18 (It Feels like Heaven)” adds some more melody to the dough, but it is the kind of melody that I consider natural. But it is “Andromeda“ that really captured my heart with its groovy start and fast as hell main course. The kind of perfect Power Metal tune.
Great return to the roots, guys!
Vision Divine “A Clockwork Reverie” will be released on 22nd via Scarlet Records.
Track Listing:
- Sator Rotas (intro)
- A Clockwork Reverie
- 18 (It Feels like Heaven)
- Andromeda
- Identities (2026 Version)
- God Is Dead (2026 Version)
- The 25th Hour (2026 Version)
Watch “18 (It Feels like Heaven)” official music video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!