ANTHRIEL – The Pathway

According to common angelology, Anthriel is the Angel of Balance and Harmony. Those devoted appeal to Anthriel for help in staying on an even keel and to lead life in moderation. Anthriel provides calmness at all times, and those who become easily off-centered and filled with anxiety pray to Anthriel for balance. The Finnish band Anthriel clearly follow this doctrine well through their powerful music.

Anthriel has been categorized among the genre of Progressive Metal. Although that is accurate for the most part, Anthriel’s musical journey on their debut album The Pathway encompasses a wide variety of styles and genres. The band was formed in 2004 and went through a couple of line-up variations before releasing a 3-track E.P. in 2007. However, the missing piece of the magical puzzle was outstanding vocalist Simo Silvan, who joined the band in 2008.

The band does have the standard Progressive Metal chemistry, if you will: vocals, guitar, and keyboards. Upon the initial listen, you may find them to be just another Prog Metal act that blends in the enormous crowd of other similar bands. However, there is something about Anthriel that is infectious. As you get deeper and deeper into the album, it soon becomes abundantly clear these guys have something very special happening.

First of all, you can’t help being incredibly impressed with vocalist Simo Silvan. His range is phenomenal — almost reminiscent of a young Ronnie James Dio. One of the better songs on The Pathway is “Haven Of Grace.” Silvan’s vocals really shine during this track. There are light and heavy moments in this song, which are both exceedingly captivating.

Technically, the songs on The Pathway are extremely well-written. There are several surprises within each track, as they do not follow the typical Prog Metal song formula. There are some light and airy keyboard solos here and there. However, you will also hear some dark and heavy shredding from guitarist Timo Niemisto. The point being, you really never know what you will get from each track, and Anthriel does a good job of making them work. There is a good flow from one track to the next, and the mixture of genres within tracks is not so overwhelming to take away from the album’s overall substance.

Regarding the band’s sound, Simo Silvan comments, “We don’t want to go to extremes with any style of music. There is a time for head banging and time for musical landscaping. We try to keep our music as versatile as we can.” That is a very accurate description of what you’ll hear from Anthriel.

The most notable tracks include the aforementioned “Haven Of Grace.” Another great song is the cryptic and powerful “Guardian,” which includes more outstanding vocal work from Silvan as well as a great guitar riff and sparkling solo from Niemisto. However, nothing prepares you for the final track, “Chains Of The Past,” a thirteen and a half minute epic, which is its own musical journey. This track fully unleashes the incredible force and talent of this great band.

Overall, The Pathway is a very serious album for the serious Metal fan. Nothing on this album should be taken lightheartedly. The musicianship and passion that went into making this album is clearly evident. Anthriel should continue to bring fans some amazing music in the years to come as they grow and progress.