Van Canto

Tribe of Force

BY Clare BuchananPublished Mar 8, 2010

Despite the enormous array of metal subgenres and the possibility for a seemingly endless amalgamation of styles, ideologies and instrumentation, there is nevertheless a good deal of metal that's stale, even when it's a new band or release. In the case of Germany's Van Canto, whether or not you dig their music they're at least a breath of fresh air. Van Canto's take on metal is a cappella ― the only non-vocal instrument is percussion. Creating music that is compelling, arrangement-wise, they remain within the boundaries of power metal while pushing the limits of metal in general through their chosen style. The album is masterfully constructed and produced, but unfortunately runs a little long. It's difficult to say whether some of the forgettable songs are uninspired in themselves or whether it's the style that gets tiresome, but there are some definite gems.
(Napalm)

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