[Symphonic Metal] Thy Shade – The Last Goodbye (85%)

November ended and I was felt something was missing. There were some good releases: Mercy Isle, Metallica, The Agonist……They were good but still i did not found something that would break the chart to gain the album of the month.
I guessed at the 11th hour came an unexpected album, thanks to “Femmes du Metal” for bringing me this album.
This is the first album of Thy Shade, a US Symphonic Metal band from Denver, Colorado. Having a US Symphonic Metal band is always welcome as they are some rare birds. But also having a Symphonic Metal band that dont fall in the trap of the over-production and over-processing is rare nowadays.
This is the strength of this album, indeed flowing in the same than the Vivaldi Metal project by brining back the Symphonic to its root: the classic with a touch of metal. This is why I give this album the title “Album of the Month” for November.
It is a 11-tracks, 45 minutes album nicely done for a first album.
It first starts with a “Prelude” that sets the done of the album: very simple musical arrangement with guitar riffs a la Yngwie Malmsteen. It starts with “Change”, straight into symphonic metal tone yet not too much loaded. Something simple but not fluffy, allowing us to discover Diana Shade, a soprano singer. Nothing exceptional but starting slowly and crescendo. It is followed by “The Last Goodbye” a melancholic song that raises the bar in a higher level and let us appreciate Diana vocal range, making one of my favorite song of the album.
“Fantasy” is one of the few tracks that brings on the power-melodic, sounding much more metal than the previous title. A nice one but there are better songs awaiting. The masterpiece is certainly Adagio, inspired by “Adagio in G Minor” from Tomaso Albinioni,  having this feeling of the very classic Yngwie Malmsteen “Icarus Dream” to it. Simply majestic and really bringing the symphonic to the symphonic metal. Diane is sublime in this song. Note also the participation of  a tenor, a rare fact that need to be underlined.

“Final Chapter” brings back the power-metal into it, that is pleasant and engaging. Things slowdown again with “O Divine Redeemer”, another track surfing on the melancholic tones and allowing us to fully enjoy Diana’s vocals. “Dies Irae” is one the heaviest and surprisingly one song that disappointed because I was expecting to hear “Dies Irae” from Mozart as a main inspiration?
Finally the album concludes with “Bring Back The Light” that sounds just right for the holidays season, followed by “Innegiamo” and “Pie Jesu” giving the classical with a touch of metal.
In times where the symphonic metal genre is becoming oversaturated with sound-alike bands that bet on over-arragnemnt and production, Thy Shade “The Last Goodbye” is like a bowl of fresh air that brings the classical to the symphonic metal. What makes the symphonic so great is the perfect alloy of the beauty of the classical music blended with the heavy and roughness of the metal. If the US was looking for her national Tarja, Diana is certainly the perfect fit for that position. Simply majestic!

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