Siége Perilous

Exit Mark Vanderblit, enter Roy fucking Khan! With some personnel change, Siege Perilous sees us with much of the major line-up that would bless us with a four album streak on par with Iron Maiden’s 80s run, Judas Priest’s S trilogy, or Incantation’s first four albums. But before that, we have Siege Perilous, which is basically just a better Dominion. Not just because Roy’s vocals are leagues ahead of Vanderblit’s, but also because the music is more tightly constructed on the whole. No wasted notes, no contrived transitions, no compromise! All killer, no filler – let’s jam!

It certainly starts off on an unconventional note. Rather than a rousing bit of USPM like on the Vanderblit albums or a bombastic opening number like on every album after this one, Siege Perilous opens up with a more understated affair in “Providence”. Riffs build upon one another to create overarching melodies rather than having collections of rhythms construct a bunch of melodies. Keyboards provide a regal atmosphere, making the song larger than life despite its seemingly small riffs. Roy might not have had the full range we’ve heard him bring on over the past 20 years or even what he had laid out during his time in Conception, instead opting for a similarly understated range. But it’s one of those little ditties that crawls into your mind because of how it’s structured. Those riffs belt out a strong melody that, when mixed with the majestic keyboards and Roy’s slick smooth vocals, wind up becoming a big song unto itself. It’s a careful style – one that requires everything to come to place ever so thusly or else, they risk falling apart if so much as a light breeze passes by. So it’s to Kamelot’s credit that they manage to nail it here. I’d say, just on those merits, Siege Perilous is the first truly essential Kamelot album, and a hell of an album to boot.

If you can compose something like that, the rest of the album is an absolute home run too, right? Well boy fuckin’ howdy, do I have some good news – this album smokes! What they had done in Dominion carries over here, with riffier tracks mixed with groovier, more overly melodic tracks. The riffs have a bit more of a Europower bent to them, with a bit more of what Stratovarius were doing at the time of this album’s release, but yet they’re still familiar to what Queensryche and Crimson Glory were putting down in their heydays. Pavlicko’s keyboards keep up that atmospheric flair from before, only they’re even better than before as the atmosphere provided makes every song feel truly majestic. Particularly the case with the intro, but pretty much every song feels as big as the castle the band’s named after. Even if “Millennium” dives into speed metal, “King’s Eyes” and “Where I Reign” goes into full on majestic theatrics or “Rhydin” builds towards a big catchy chorus, everything feels so significant.

Yet with all that’s said and done, Siege Perilous is a real grower. One that’s already good upon first listen and you’ll want to listen to it again, and then each subsequent listen opens up new layers, allowing its true majesty to show. But the important thing is you find it yourself. Its subdued production and less overt riffs (for the most part) lull you into a false sense of surprise as these ear worms are given life while the riffs themselves – as well as the keyboards – tower over your senses. True, some songs are clearly better than others, and I’d still say that a couple of songs are considerably weaker than the rest. “Once a Dream” and “Irea” don’t hit the mark quite as hard as they could’ve. Even given the time to really get them like I eventually got “Providence”, these songs don’t worm their way into the subconscious nearly as vividly, nor do they riff as hard, nor do the grooves really stick as much. They are fine songs on their own terms, but they’re like weaker versions of the likes of “Millennium”, “Expedition” and “Parting Visions”. Those three songs, alongside “Providence” and the epic instrumental “Siege”, definitely show the album in a very positive light and if the other five on here were as good as these songs, forget this simply being the first essential Kamelot album, because it’d be the best album in their discography alongside The Black Halo.

Yeah, that’s pretty much the short and narrow of Siege Perilous. Half fairly good if not pretty good power metal, and half fuckin’ great power metal!

It's understandable that this album dwells in the shadows of subsequent Khan-era Kamelot albums, but there's no justification for it being almost completely forgotten by both Kamelot fans and power metal fans in general. And those who are aware of this album see it as a rough prototype for the albums that came after it and nothing more. Sure, Siége Perilous is not bombastic as The Fourth Legacy, majestic as Karma, epic as Epica or grandiose as The Black Halo (and fortunately, it isn't bland as the albums from Ghost Opera onwards), and it definitely lacks the catchiness of those albums, but it does have a unique charm of its own and sounds nothing like Kamelot (or any other band to my knowledge) had done either before or after.

Siége Perilous is much rawer and cruder than other Kamelot albums (both production-wise and songs-wise), and I will assume that's the only reason why it isn't as popular as the rest. Many would say that the band members, Khan in particular, are unsure of themselves, and that the whole album sounds somewhat unfocused and directionless. But what others find unfocused, I find esoteric, mesmerizing and enchanting. There is a sense of obscurity and mysticism on Siége Perilous that is not present on any other Kamelot album. While the other Kamelot albums are evocative of theatrical performances about Goethean and Arthurian stories, Siége Perilous pulls me into a completely new world with it's overwhelming atmosphere. It will take a few relistenings, but once it grabs you, it will not let go.

The riffs and especially the leadwork bring to mind Transcendence-era Crimson Glory or The Warning-era Queensrÿche. It's not a particularly riff-heavy album even by Kamelot standards, but there's plentiful of interesting riffs to be found here. The most memorable songs on this album riff-wise are Expedition, Rhydin, Irea and Siege. The focus of the album, however, is on the general atmosphere and not on any specific instrument or band member. The songs structures are very progressive in the sense that, as soon as the verse and chorus are dealt with, a long chain of (mostly) instrumental segments follows immediately afterwards (with a few exceptions, such as Millennium and Parting Visions). King's Eyes and Rhydin perfectly demonstrate and execute this idea. While this structure gets somewhat predictable, it doesn't hinder the enjoyment of the songs, as they are truly journeys to behold and never let go of your attention before they end.

Just like the album cover, the songs on Siége Perilous are regal, dark, gloomy, otherworldly, mystifying and glorious, all at the same time. They are also very classical sounding, without resorting to the irritating "Why yes, we do really like Mozart, how could you tell?" wankery of Yngwie Malmsteen and his wannabes (Timo Tolkki, Alexi Laiho etc). The keyboards are a huge part of Siége Perilous, and they offer each song a unique feel to them. Some reviewers have said that every song on this album sounds the same, but that is not at all correct. Again, they all sound unique and have their own feel while being similar enough to belong in the same album; like different realms in a single universe.

And of course, all of this is greatly enhanced by the masterful vocal performance of Roy Khan. Fans of subsequent Kamelot albums may be underwhelmed by his vocals here as he is not as masterful as on those albums, but rest assured, he pulls the listener in like nobody else. To continue with the theatre analogy, while Khan's performance on the subsequent albums is evocative of a narrator guiding the audience through the story, Khan on this album is like a resident of the strange, alien world he is inhabiting. His vocals are truly convincing in this manner and fit this album flawlessly. I should also add that, though this isn't Khan's technically finest performance, it is the most spirited and soulful one (as far as his work in Kamelot is concerned at least; I've yet to check out Conception and other bands Roy sang in). As great as his performance would get later on, there are moments when he'd sound somewhat lethargic and bored. No such moments here. On Siége Perilous, Roy is absolutely immersed in his performance and, though he sometimes sounds lost at times (I don't think this is a bad thing as it fits the mood of some of the songs, but many would disagree), his passion is constantly through the roof.

Every song is great in its own way. Providence is basically Kamelot's In Dark Places; a hypnotic, midpaced voyage of a song that feels much shorter that it really is. Millennium has that insane, swirling piano riff, and the whole song is relentless yet majestic speed metal. King's Eyes is slower, but just as exciting, and it also has some very soul-touching piano segments in the middle (Rhydin and Irea pull off the same idea, though not as effectively). Expedition is excellent Symphony X worship with heavy (but not Pantera-esque "heavy") riffs and a great melodic chorus, and is something of a precursor to Silent Goddess, Requiem for the Innocent, The Edge of Paradise and similar groovy Kamelot songs. Where I Reign is a sinister, brooding semi-ballad with a majestically evil chorus and nice Maiden-ish soloing. Rhydin combines the ominousness of Where I Reign and the gloriousness of King's Eyes with marvelous results. Parting Visions is the obligatory uplifting, ass-kicking power metal anthem with some ripping solos and immensely satisfying vocals. It's the shortest song here, and the most straightforward one alongside Millennium. Once a Dream is a beautiful ballad that goes smoothly through lots of different moods and textures, and is similar to Queen's Spread Your Wings (especially in the chorus). Irea is a very interesting proto Lost Horizon-ish tune due to its spacey, outlandish melodies. The album is concluded by the semi title track, which is a neoclassical instrumental masterpiece, quite simply. It's the most progressive and complex song on the album and ends it on a very, very high note.

As great as this album is, it is unfortunately not for everyone. Those that insist on "catchiness", "memorability" and immediate accessibility will never come to appreciate Siége Perilous. Not until they drop that idiotic, narrow-minded line of thinking and realize that music doesn't need direct hooks, high-budget production values and instant infectiousness to be captivating, powerful and breathtaking. On the contrary, it is exactly those albums that require several chances and relistenings that have the most long lasting value, and Siége Perilous is no exception. So, without further ado, check it out and let the expedition begin.

I've made it a goal of mine to listen to all of the Kamelot albums in order (over time of course, not all at once). Of the previous two albums I listened to, "Siege Perilous" has a relatively calmer (dolce in music terms) feel than the explosive and passionate "Eternity" and a huge step-up from the kind of boring "Dominion". Despite this calmer sound, this does not mean the album is not heavy and loud. The instrument parts, most notably the guitars and keyboards/orchestral sounds, are very technical. "Siege Perilous" might just have Kamelot's best guitar solos.

Maybe this is a trend in Kamelot's song writing that each album has that thing that makes you go, "Oh, that's Kamelot!", but yet each album has a different sound and feel within the band's style. If this is the case, 1. I love it, and 2. Then we could say that "Eternity" is explosive, "Dominion" is slower-ish (which didn't go very well), and "Siege Perilous" is more... mellow. Yeah, there's the word I've been looking for. If this album had to be described in one word, 'mellow' would be it.

Another interesting thing about this album is that I noticed quite an influence of Helloween in just about every song after "Providence". I'm questioning whether it added to Kamelot's style or took away from it its very emotional and fiery-passionate sound. Standard tuning (at least it sounded like it) was used often. Kamelot uses E-flat tuning in almost every song I've heard from them. The E-flat tuning, at least in my observation and listening experience, is one of the key contributors to their what I describe as a "fiery-passionate sound". This sound is used to convey a feeling of being in a mystical fantasy realm, which is really what power metal is all about. I didn't feel it as much in "Siege Perilous", but I nonetheless liked it all.

In closing, I am very impressed with "Siege Perilous". Awesome orchestral parts, awesome guitar solos, and this interesting heavy yet dolce tone. This sound is something I would like to try in some of my own songs. Quite different from Kamelot's previous albums. However, if you aren't a power metal fan, it can be easy to lose interest and/or mentally drift off from the music.

Underrated, indeed. It is unfortunate that this album is so overlooked in the Kamelot history, with most fans preferring The Fourth Legacy and beyond. While I won't deny the awesomeness of those subsequent albums, the band's earliest works certainly bear some looking into, especially this album, Kamelot's third album and first to feature long time vocalist Roy Khan.

Musically, Siége Perilous sounds much like its predecessors, with lots of classical sounding keyboards and driving guitars, and yet the songs provide a glimpse of what was to come on the next few albums. Thomas Youngblood's songwriting continues to improve, quite a bit better here than Eternity or Dominion, but not quite to the level first realized with The Fourth Legacy, where Khan would have a hand in the songwriting efforts and the classical sound would diminish quite a bit. Here, Roy Khan provides a much needed boost to the vocal department, outshining Mark Vanderbilt's efforts across the board, while Casey Grillo debuts on the drums,, replacing founding member Richard Warner. David Pavlicko plays keyboards here one final time, after which Michael 'Miro' Rodenberg would take up keyboard duties, creating a very stable lineup for Kamelot that would endure up to Ghost Opera, where Oliver Palotai would become a permanent member.

The album as a whole is strong and catchy, with no bad songs to be found. Highlights include Providence, Millennium, Where I Reign, Parting Visions, and the instrumental closer Seige, which is the most classical sounding song of the bunch here, replete with sweeping keyboards and harpsichord. I really wish that Kamelot would return to this sound, it is so much fun to listen to. I'd even settle for a special summer tour where the band plays this album in it's entirety as a throwback. With Khan having departed the band by the time of this review, it seems unlikely that such a thing would occur, but it'd be a blast for sure.

Overall, it may not be Kamelot's best album, but it's far from their worst effort by a long shot, and is a go to album for me when I just want to enjoy something a bit different than Kamelot's other stuff. Underrated? Very much so.

Kamelot was one of the first bands I liked and for good reason. All the albums after this one were some of the best in whatever genre of music they'd be classified as. Even major changes in sound like the one between Karma and Epica failed to stop their sound from being good. So imagine my surprise when I bought this album, the last Kamelot album I really cared about buying, and it wasn't good.

The first problem is that Kamelot didn't yet know how to use Khan's voice. As a new addition to the band, I'm not sure Khan's full potential was even realized. On some of the songs Khan's voice is almost completely drowned out by the rest of the band. The parts which you can hear him aren't even that interesting. It's almost as if Khan's voice entirely devoid of emotion, the same emotion which, in later albums would make songs great. The choruses that Khan sings fall are not catchy at all, and with the power metal approach they are taking Khan's voice was going to become a staple for the band after this point, but he's simply not challenged and it shows.

Another big problem is that the band takes too much of a power metal approach. The Kamelot that most people are used to takes a darker tone with the guitar in the lead and the keyboards there to add to the sound. The guitars on this album are toned down and the keyboards take over. This setup really only works in one song, Siege, which is an instrumental where it all fits together very well. The problem with that is that the keyboards aren't very good either. The melodies aren't very memorable and kind of boring. None of the music is bad, it's just it's not the outstanding stuff that most Kamelot fans are used to.

It's not all bad though. There are parts in almost every song that show what Kamelot would become, but they are few and far between .In most songs that only adds to the frustration because you know how good they could be if it weren't hidden behind weak keyboard melodies. Take the song King's Eyes for example, it has the best chorus on the whole album. Khan's voice is actually aloud to shine, and as I heard it for the first time I actually had hope for the album. The chorus is the only good part in the entire song, because as soon as it's over Khan's voice is hidden behind the weak keyboards again. It's almost as if the band was afraid to stick out and show they were something different.

It's hard to find a grade for this album. It's average power metal so it should get an average grade. It's also Kamelot and when compared to their other music it's depressing how little they tried on this album. This is an album that only diehard Kamelot fans, who are interested in Kamelot's evolution in sound more than the sound of the album, should hear. This is certainly not the place to start, every other Kamelot album with Khan as lead singer is steps above this and much easier to get into.

It's not that I don't like Kamelot's style. I love the combination of the strong guitar work with the keyboard and the slower vocals.

It's just that Kamelot doesn't seem to have done anything with it yet.

The songs on here start sounding very similar very quickly. When you first pop this CD in and get past the rather unfocused Providence, you get to the very strong Millenium, which has some nice riffage work and a great beat, although Khan's vocals seem unsure of their direction. Then you get to King's Eyes, which has a nice new beat but riffage that sounds oddly familiar, as do Khan's vocals. Then you get to Expedition, which has a so-so beat and VERY familiar riffage, not to mention Khan's unchanging vocals. You might start to notice a definite pattern in terms of riffage and vocals when you hear the same basic riffs and vocal insecurity on the next track, Where I Reign. After this, even the rhythm starts to repeat, and you might start looking very seriously at the ol' eject button. Hit the skip button instead. All the way to the last track, entitled Siege. Here we finally get some fresh riffs, and the guitar solo and the really cool keyboard work breathe real life into the album.

And then the album is finished. Overall, I wouldn't spend money on this album. It's not terrible, but it's not really worth the price. Save your money for Epica instead.

Siege Perilous is not a bad Kamelot album, just not the greatest. It is the first album with new singer Roy Khan. It's hard to listen to this one if you have heard Karma or Epica, because it is not even close. I think Khan was just getting used to singing with the Kamelot crew, and hence not his best performance. It is good, but not as great as he sounds on the following albums. The songs are pretty decent, none stick out at me though. They all sound the same, there is no distinct difference, and I even wonder if there is a bit of riff recycling. But the riffs are well done. All the instruments are well done, keyboards, organ, etc. Millennium has probably the greatest Kamelot riff ever and the instrument Siege Perilous is just beautifully written, guitars, keyboards and all! The one thing that I noticed is that this album does not have the same speed as 4th Legacy or Karma. Most of the songs are mellow or just slow sounding. Where Karma is all out speed/power metal. Nonetheless, this is a great album, but I would only recommend it to Kamelot fans because there are better Kamelot albums out there.

In fact, one of the only flower-metal albums I can put up with, because while it does have a lot of keyboards, the guitar work is definitely in place, and the emphasis is on the riffs, as opposed to meaningless wankery.

This is pretty much what flower-metal should sound like - it's melodic, without resorting to the excess cheesiness or forced hooks of bands like Sonata Craptica. The songs are very much classical-sounding, and there really aren't gratuitous guitar or keyboard solos that sacrifice the overall cohesion of the songs, and also I must note that the drums aren't homoerotically loud.

Every song on here is pretty damn good. They are, for the most part, very similar sounding without any particular one being "the obligatory speed metal song" or "the obligatory ballad". Highlights include "Millennium", "Rhydin", and especially "Parting Visions".

As I said, it's no thrash riff-o-rama - but nonetheless it works. Probably because they don't try too damn hard to be emotional and end up whiny, and the keyboards are used tastefully, to provide atmosphere as opposed to being the main overwhelming focus. Definitely worth getting, if nothing else just to prove to your neighbours that metal is more than just vicious shrieking.