Swedish progressive metal act PARALYDIUM have returned with a new lineup for their sophomore album entitled “Universe Calls.” Their debut record, “Worlds Beyond” (2020), featured Mikael Sehlin on vocals but since nowadays he’s busy with AMARANTHE, founder and guitarist John Berg has enlisted the help of former ASTRAKHAN vocalist Alexander Lycke to fill in that position. The rest of the lineup consists of Jonathan Olsson on bass, Georg Härnsten Egg on drums (both members of DYNAZTY), and Mike Blanc on keyboards. The album will be released on August 23rd, 2024, via Frontiers Music.
Picking up where they left off, “Universe Calls” is melodic and breezy but also quite intricate and complex when it comes to the song structures and the way everything flows together and connects so seamlessly. Featuring only seven tracks and a runtime of almost 51 minutes, it is clear that we will be treated to some longer compositions and indeed two of the songs – “The Arcane Exploration Pt. 1” and “The Arcane Exploration Pt 2” – go over the 10-minute mark, while “Forging the Past” is slightly under said runtime. To have a sense of balance on the record there are some shorter songs that act either as an intro (like opening track “Prelude”) or as a break (like second-to-last song “Interlude”), which in turn allow for the story to properly develop. Besides the melodic aspect of the music that comes mainly from the guitar and vocal melodies, there’s a neat cinematic vibe coming from the sparkling keys, that also makes the album feel more accessible and easy to listen to. In other words, there are plenty of atmospheric textures and expansive arrangements that counterbalance the hard-hitting riffs and complex instrumental passages.
As stated above, the album opens with a short, cinematic intro titled “Prelude” that sets the stage for what is to come musically while giving us a chance to hear what the instrumental part can conjure up by itself and truly the interplay between the rhythmic section and the guitars is solid enough to warrant some attention while the keys soften everything with their delicate presence. Up next is “Sands of Time,” the album’s first single, which kicks things into high gear as Alexander Lycke’s vocals take center stage between the rumbling of the bass and the guitar leads. It is among the catchiest tracks on the album with a simple yet effective melody driving the chorus. The album’s second single, “Forging the Past,” is where the band start showcasing their progressive songwriting as this track flows between melodic passages with soft vocals underpinned by thundering bass and more expansive instrumental sections with a soaring chorus that ties everything together while the solo injects some much-needed energy to the fold.
As with any record in this genre, it is mostly the instrumentals that carry the album’s momentum and give it its unique sound design. This is also the case with “Universe Calls,” as what the collective around John Berg have managed to achieve is indeed the album’s beating heart (especially when it comes to the rhythmic section) and lifeblood moving things along at a constant pace while the vocals act as its emotional anchor. Tracks like the lengthy “The Arcane Exploration Pt. 1” and “The Arcane Exploration Pt 2” are wonderful examples in this regard. The first part is steadily building its momentum from a delicate and soft start through a rather fast-paced mid-section with soaring vocals and sparkling keys that give way to an emotional (almost wailing) part only to come full circle and end with a reprise of the chorus.
The second part of “The Arcane Exploration” duology is more dynamic in its soundscape with a great guitar intro that seamlessly leads into a piano part before the vocals (accompanied by the rumbling bass) take over and drive the track forward at a steady pace until it gives way to a great solo section before picking everything up again for the final crescendo. Elsewhere on the album, “Caught in a Dream” is the most melodic and compact of the bunch as it has some nice vocals harmonies and guitar licks going for it, while the melodies are catchy enough to be memorable. The rhythmic section does its thing establishing a nice groove at the beginning that resurfaces here and there, while the guitar and vocals carry the melodic weight. This leads into a bluesy/acoustic guitar moment with “Interlude,” which wonderfully acts as the album’s melodic break as well as its most beautiful moment.
All-in-all, “Universe Calls” is an album that checks most of the boxes of the progressive metal genre while staying in its comfort zone. The instrumental sections are solid enough and flow together neatly to sound convincing but don’t really break any new ground or push any boundaries, reason why I stated earlier in this review that the album falls in the easy listening category. Nonetheless, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as “Universe Calls” is still highly enjoyable for what it offers with the cinematic sheen elevating the soundscape and the instrumentals keeping it grounded in heavy sounds, so it should please most everybody looking for a melodic progressive metal album.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
1. Prelude
2. Sands of Time
3. Forging the Past
4. The Arcane Exploration Pt. I
5. Caught in a Dream
6. Interlude
7. The Arcane Exploration Pt. II
Lineup
Alexander Lycke – vocals
John Berg – guitars, additional keyboards
Jonathan Olsson – bass
Mike Blanc – keyboards
Georg Härnsten Egg – drums
Label
Frontiers Music
