Released By: AFM Records
Release Date: August 26th, 2022
Genre: Melodic Metal
Links: http://www.dynazty.com/
Line Up:
Nils Molin – Vocals
Mike Lavér – Guitars
Rob Love Magnusson – Guitars
Jonathan Olsson – Bass
George Egg – Drums
Tracklist:
1. Power of Will
2. Advent
3. Natural Born Killer
4. Yours
5. All the Devils Are Here
6. The White
7. Instinct
8. Heart of Darkness
9. Achilles Heel
10. Power of Now
When it comes to a modern melodic metal with addictive choruses, consistently excellent songwriting, and killer performances, one of my favorite bands for the past decade has been Sweden’s Dynazty, who blew me away back in 2014 with their fourth release Renatus and have not come even remotely close to disappointing me ever since. While their past few albums haven’t been as shocking as that album, the band has retained their superb quality throughout the past several years, with their previous release The Dark Delight in particular being my personal favorite since Renatus. Their eighth full-length release Final Advent is now here (following some delays earlier in the year), and after several listens, I can safely say it not only keeps the chain of exceptional albums going strong but proves to be one of the band’s best releases yet!
Ever since Renatus, the band has continued to develop and build upon the modern melodic metal sound they introduced with that album, initially going hard on the power metal elements and heaviness, before subtly changing and becoming a bit lighter over the past few releases. This trend was especially noticeable on The Dark Delight, which still had plenty of hard-hitting riffs, but was also the band’s slowest-paced release since their big change, instead being more trance infused than ever, while also having plenty of more relaxed melodic heavy metal tracks. This is somewhat true of Final Advent, as well, though where a previous couple of albums felt a bit more laid back compared to past albums, this is easily their most energetic album since at least Titanic Mass, with the majority of the tracks being very fun and upbeat, even if only a couple of them go fully into all-out power metal territory.
One thing that’s continued from previous releases is the emphasis on keyboards, which are often very colorful, very energetic, and full of playful melodies, used to drive the majority of the tracks on this album. Though there are still some heavy riffs throughout the album, as well as some excellent solos, a lot of the time the guitar work is relegated to more of a rhythm guitar role, being a constant presence but not a main driving force. Performances are excellent across the board, as always, with Nils Molin, in particular, being very much at the top of his game, delivering some of his strongest, most fiery, and passionate vocals to date, and the production is also top-notch.
There’s a good amount of variety to the tracks, with a couple of full-on speedy power metal tracks, a fantastic symphonic metal ballad, a few lighter, more melodic heavy metal tracks, and plenty of trance-infused tracks that are very upbeat and energetic, without being heavy or fast enough to be fully considered power metal. Either way, the songwriting is fantastic across the board, and as usual, the band follows a fairly simple formula, with each song using the initial verses and chorus to lay the groundwork, before really going all out on the solo section and final chorus. As predictable as this may be, they pull everything off so damn well it ends up working spectacularly every single time, just like on the previous few releases, with some of the tracks here easily ranking among my personal favorites by the band.
Leading into the release of the album, the opening track and second single “Power of Will” had been one of my most played tracks in quite some time, as I found it so addicting and so enjoyable, that I would constantly be playing it on repeat over and over. Suffice to say, it works just as well on the full album as it does on its own, if not even better. It begins with some super hooky keyboard melodies to lead the way into an up-tempo opening verse, with great vocal hooks, nice rhythm guitars, and of course, fantastic vocals, only escalating further with a fantastic chorus where Molin gets to shine, especially during the predictably fantastic final run through at the end of the track. While it’s largely a vocal and keyboard-driven track, Mike Lavér and Rob Love Magnusson are still given plenty of room to shine with their excellent guitar work, especially during a very intense, yet super melodic solo section. Overall, it’s an amazing track, definitely one of my favorites by the band, and yet I don’t even think I’d say it’s the best on this album!
Next is the lead single “Advent”, which I initially found to be a very solid track, if not as amazing as I’ve come to expect from the band, though it has grown on me a lot over the past several months. It’s a more laid-back, mid-tempo track, which combines a heavy lead riff with the usual playful, very melodic keyboards. The verses are fun and do a great job of grabbing the listener’s attention, while the chorus is spectacular, and one of the better ones here. Next is the fourth single “Natural Born Killer”, another more upbeat track, with some very bouncy keyboards during the verses, giving the song a strong trance metal feel, though the pace picks up and the guitars are more noticeable during the chorus, which is very catchy and addicting, as usual.
The tempo drops off a bit for “Yours”, the lone ballad of the album. With a vocalist as talented as Nils Molin, it doesn’t take much effort to make a great ballad, but the band certainly did not phone things in on this one. It has some nice, relaxing keyboards to make for a great backdrop, as well as some sweeping symphonic arrangements which become more epic and intense as the track goes on, and while it’s largely a softer track overall, there are bursts of heavy riffs here and there, as well as some excellent melodic guitar work, especially during the absolutely beautiful solo section in the second half. The highlight is Molin, though, and he shines as always, with a very powerful, emotionally resonant performance, only getting better as the track goes on. The band has done some excellent ballads in the past, but this is their best one to date.
After that massive highlight, one would be forgiven for expecting a drop-off in quality, but no such thing is anywhere in sight, with “All the Devils Are Here’” being another fantastic track. This is one of the most upbeat tracks on the album, with a nice mix of energetic keys, heavy guitars, and fantastic vocal melodies. It very much reminds me of “Heartless Madness” from the previous album, though it’s a bit faster-paced and has a slightly more complex chorus, which is also one of the catchiest and most memorable ones on the album, with some absolutely killer vocal melodies. Next is “The White”, another faster-paced track, with some excellent keyboard melodies, and a fantastic chorus. It’s a bit lighter than the previous track, but is still a very fun track, with some fantastic vocal melodies, especially during the chorus, as well as an irresistible lead guitar melody. The pace slows down slightly once again with “Instinct”, a mid-paced track that has the heaviest main riff on the album, which very much reminds me of some of the more guitar-driven tracks on Renatus, though the opening verse instantly falls into slight pop territory with some very bouncy keyboards and vocal melodies, while the chorus is simply outstanding, building up momentum as it goes along, with some of the best lyrics and vocal melodies on the entire album. It’s a bit of a darker track in terms of tone and sound, but it’s still just as instantly engaging and catchy as any of the other tracks here and is one of my personal favorites.
Moving into the final stretch, “Heart of Darkness” is another faster-paced track, with very energetic verses, some hard-hitting guitars, playful keyboards, and a very fun chorus. The darkest track on the album is “ Achilles Heel”, which has a strong heavy metal feel to it, including the main riff that gives off some Metallica vibes. It’s a more atmospheric track overall, striking a good balance between the guitars and keyboards, and while the chorus is excellent as always, it feels slightly more subdued than usual, with the bridge section in the middle being the point where Molin gets to show off his talents. Closing out the album is “Power of Now”, the fastest, most powerful metal-infused track on the album. Once again, it strikes a great balance between some heavy lead guitar work, super energetic, colorful keyboards, and some excellent vocal melodies, with the triumphant chorus being among the biggest highlights on the album, and while it’s the shortest track here, it’s also my most played, as it’s simply one of the most addictive, irresistibly catchy tracks the band has ever written, and it ends the album perfectly.
Ever since Renatus, Dynazty has been one of my absolute favorite bands in all of metal, with subsequent releases only further cementing that. Final Advent is yet another massive triumph for the band, proving to be a more than worthy follow-up to the masterpiece that was The Dark Delight. Fans of the band should fall in love with this album instantly, while any new fans looking for some top-tier melodic metal with power metal elements, as well as symphonic arrangements, trance keyboards, and excellent vocals, would be highly recommended to give this album a listen, along with everything else the band has released over the past several years.
Ratings: 10/10
Written by: Travis Green
My Global Mind – Staff Writer
Travis Green is a Canadian based writer for My Global Mind, with a particular passion for power metal, as well as an interest metal in all its forms.
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