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Lefay > SOS > Reviews
Lefay - SOS

Raw power metal - 89%

Exterus, January 18th, 2004

Lefay (and Morgana Lefay) has been one of my favorite bands for a bunch of years now. They have very unique sound and has carved themselves in a private little niche in the power metal-scene.

S.O.S (...---...) is a bit more focused and agressive than their previous releases. It has a more raw feeling to it, but not raw as in "unpolished" it's a thought trough rawness.
Charles Rytkönen shows exactly why he's considered by many to be one of the scene's better singers, he shows he has a strong voice well suited for traditional power/speed metal (the impressing howl in the beginning of "The Choice") and just a few songs ahead of "The Choice" we have "Epicedium" where he proves he can pull off clear, slow ballady vocals as well.
Other than that, the vocals are raw, powerful and Rytkönen expertly conveys the songs different moods.

The songs are not standard sword & sorcery-fantasy. There is a depth to most of the songs that is like a breeze on a hot summer day in this genre. Lefay chooses to downplay epicness in this release and concentrates on other things (mysteries, desperation and helplessness). Although, there are a few songs with a more standard power metal feel to them, for example "When Gargoyles fly" and "Sleepwalker".

The only weak track is "Bloodred Sky", which is a bit unoriginal and it feels like you've heard it many times before.

One thing about this album that has always impressed me was the cover art. As you can see here at the archive, it's a image of jesus standining in front of a strange mechanical contraption (with Lefay's trademark hourglass in it of course) and with some tubes sticking out of him. He is surronded my some sort of monks in gasmasks and they're all standing in a desolate landscape. Very cool. I have no idea what it has to do with the album itself, but's that's of no consequence. Heh.