LOCH VOSTOK - V:The Doctrine Decoded

From time to time, rather intriguing and talented bands find their way to our hands, and this is one of the moments when you feel happy writing reviews of new releases. Loch Vostok are coming from Sweden and this is their fifth full length album so far. The roots of this band are deep into Progressive Metal, but their style is rather unorthodox and peculiar, and needs plenty of time to explore. Blending equal doses of Progressive Metal, Classic Metal and Swedish Death, the band created a hybrid, that easily shifts between styles and keeps the listener occupied from the first to the last moment. The songs are groovy and complex, yet full of melodies and aggression. The band is talented enough to bring their music vision to reality, and does that with almost no weak points, which is a big plus, considering how ambitious this project is. What impresses from the first minute is the remarkable blending of clear and brutal vocals, and the way they are matching with the music. Those dual personality vocals fit perfectly with the mood of the music, one time being melodic and complicated, and the next minute all hell breaks loose. An equal good job is done in the rhythm section, no matter how relaxed or aggressive the music is. An interesting addition to the melodies comes from the keyboards, with some of them being really catchy. The song structures are full of changes, as a Progressive album should be, and contain tons of ideas and improvisations that help the music stay interesting until the end. A multi layered album that has plenty of things to offer to a wide Metal audience. It can be the breakneck Swedish Death Metal, the diverse prog or the Classic Metal tune, often all found in just one song. It might need cautious repeating listening to explore the little details that are hidden, but at the end you'll be glad you did.

9/10