Dark-Techno-Goth-Opera-Gothenburg-Death-Medieval-Power-Medieval-Accompanied-Of-Final-Fantasy-Like-Compositions Metal, is that an appropriated tag for a work as complex as Howling Syn's first full album, Forebearers Of Dusk? Sure, a positive answer to such a question might seem interesting, at least if the idea of describing the band's whole music spectrum in one sentence is at your agenda... just try to imagine however what would a music catalog designer do, confronted to such a summary!!! These poor people already have much to do during their work hours, could they really have the time to enounce all of this on telephone? Worse, would they even be able to squeeze such a definition in their own tightly spaced catalogs? So, as we now find ourselves confronted to such a problem, why not try to dispose of it immediatly? I thus declare Forebearers Of Dusk to be the founding element of a new musical genre, one to introduce among the already-existing multitude : Storytelling Metal! What? I'm exagerating? Then go ask the Devil if he's hot, whiners!

*Am I hearing some crazed drummer solo-ing around somewhere near?*

Still here? Good. Now, just let me lose myself into my personal fantaisies... and no complains, right? Perfect.

Before continuing however, here's an extremely brief summary of Howling Syn's birth and apparition on the scene :

Once upon a heckuvalot of time, in a country no one born during our era ever heard about, existed a legendary Colossus, as strong of body as of everybody's-happy-around-because I'm-cheerful-and-smiling mood. Sadly though, as positive, friendly and well-intentionned he could be, the man had one particularly deep weakness : Imagination. Overwhelming, constantly exhalted by the simplest of discoveries, by the most little of unthought-of details, Imagination never ceased trying to bring our gentle giant into a sea of strongly unproductive daydreaming.

So, even if our sweet Colossus could accomplish the work of ten men a day, he rarely did as much as one, two if his working colleagues had been particularly harsh with him that day. Forgiveness towards his head-in-the-sky attitude was a common custom among villagers though, especially when he held them all on the brink of their seats with his sung-and-told magical stories. Came the day which made our tall daydreamer unable to stand still anymore, one which saw him take his things and head straight into adventure. Armed of the only valuable things he ever possessed, his luth and voice, the man which became a legend went alone on the long road leading to the Unknown. No one knows a thing as to whatever happened to him during this period of his life. A few storytellers pretend he encountered many musical companies, a handful of more-or-less-known troubadours, as well as a few others legends of tomorrow.

This said, his own personal story only really began - in the eyes of his own world's chroniclers - when came to his side one of the most graceful voices in the kingdom, voice belonging to a woman named Sophie to some, Sophia to others. Whatever was her true first name, we know that this heard-and-celebrated - for her sung poetry in front of the royal court - enchantress freely binded her destiny to the Colossus' own, a little time before a man called Eric did, offering the team his writing and drumming skills.

Things could have stayed at this level, the three comrades singing and telling stories around the country like many other troubadours did (that is, anonymously), if the Powers That Be had not attracted them to one of the most mysterious characters their era ever saw, the fabulous Empytree wizard, famous creator of the Instantaneous Musical Broadcasting Orbs. Taking the troupe under his protection, Empytree utterly transformed the Colossus and his companions in legendary heroes, nearly instantaneously so. Thanks to him and to his marvelous invention, the three companions' work - if yet incomplete and immature at the time - was rapidly broadcasted troughout the kingdom, for every commoner and villager to find pleasure in their sweet tales and music after a hard day of work. Assembled at dusk in the center of many villages, where was placed one of the many Instantaneous Musical Broadcasting Orbs, whole communities began praising those who now called themselves the Howling Synners.

You know what happened after : Black Moon, The Witches Of Avalon, Wolfqueen and Howling Syn became part of the kingdom's very own folklore and song repertory, ensuring it's creators a place among the country's myths and legends.

An epic saga sang and acclamed troughout the ages, Forebearers Of Dusk forever consecrated the Howling Synners into Legend.

So, that was for the fairytale story... let's now pass on to more serious things. I mean, many thousand years after the Howling Synners' mythification, how must we perceive the still passionnate stories of this legendary trio of troubadors having happened to use a Time Machine to now become ordinary Y2K canadian citizens? What? You say I'm raving mad? Maybe, but I'm the one who's writing the review, so let me to the talking, please!

*Silence*

Anyway, even in our ever-insatisfied and negative world, the Howling Synners kick some serious butt making us bathe and revel in their joyful and frenetic boundless imagination. Patryk Pigeon, the man behind Forbearers Of Dusk's music, unleashes himself in the ears of the listeners like an open book, in which we can read the incredible multitude of his countless influences (among them, a careful listener can find Gothic, Power, Death, Opera Metal influences, as well as incredible Final Fantasy-like keyboard parts), which the musician never ceases to manipulate in both classical/traditionnal and surprising/innovative manners.

But let's come back to my Storytelling Metal story. Am I saying here that Howling Syn is following Rhapsody and company on worned-out backwood paths, heeding the call, joining their voices to sing yet-again epic sagas of glorious heroes clashing their swords against Everlasting Darkness minions'? In theory. As for practice though, music and lyrics easily escape this really annoying comparison. I must admit that the idea of comparing Howling Syn's style to the one of these bands tempted me, but doing so would only have made my whole review ring false. Sure, we can hear a bit of Therion love here, a handful of Theatre Of Tragedy praise over there, a morcel of medieval folklore passion at the right... so what? Howling Syn simply is like all of these bands yet sounds like none of them. It's own tales aren't based on the eternal victory of Good on Evil, rather siding with the point of view of a strange kind of Darkness. Sometimes bitter and full of hate, sometimes filled with melancholy and hope, the Shadow Hordes to which Howling Syn lends it voice seem more like remnants of an oppressed people preparing their Revolution, rather than one led by megalomaniacs bent on conquering the world.

And this Suffering Darkness story thankfully isn't told with ceaseless 14-songs-long yelling, moaning and whispering. Energy-filled, exciting even without constant vocals, theme song Forebearers Of Dusk introduces us to the main characters' desires, that is, without a single word sung or spoken. The surprising flute-keyboards-guitar combination - which forms the principal characteristic of this composition - succeeds in surviving to the different changes in a kind of roller-coaster (fast to middle-paced, forth and back) rythm, never ceasing to astonish the listener.

The energy found here somewhat flees everywhere as Bloody Blossom fails to keep it's initial lightning-fast and agressive pace. Quality Gothic Metal is nonetheless to be found here, as exagerated yet pleasant high-pitched vocals fly above a walking-towards-adventure kind of inspiring and moving rythm. Such an adventure-is-coming feeling is quickly dimnished in Years Without Light, as childlike melodies bring the listener back in time, or so to say. Despite of this, the album slowly unveils it's true self, as electric guitars and Patryk's killer death vocals begin to take more and more space. Patryk's and Sophie's vocals soon become more and more Storytelling-like, making us believe that a story is told, a tale is spun, a legend takes hold of our mind to enthrall it into joyful and infinite thoughtfulness.

As The Forest Speaks To Me mostly sounds like the previous composition, well hiding it's explosive capacities until half of the song, Sophie's and Patryk's somptuous vocals being unleashed to great effect.

As far as I'm concerned though, it's not until Black Moon that Howling Syn's talent can truly shine on us. Subjectivity runs deep withing this part of my review, as I must admit I've always liked this long available (yet unfinished before) Mp3.com song. Throughout the years since it's release on the web, it's musical rythm simply remained pefect, even though some of the instruments used recall a less appreciated (by some) kind of techno-pop music. Unique among it's kind on this album, Black Moon mostly revolves around over-the-top-yet-enjoyable vocals combined to incredible storytelling-like electric guitars, the whole thing rounded up with the use of precise, well-timed and very involving howling wolves sound effects. Truly brilliant.

Of course, most of what I've written in the last few sentences is to be considered with precaution, as it seems the song hooked me as much as Six Feet Under's Lycanthropy did once. But is my appreciation the result of listening to greatness itself or just a wolf-loving trend? Well, it might be both, so I'll say : long live the WolfKing!

This doesn't stop Night Charmers, the following track, from unleashing one of these joyfully punching Therion-made rythms, baked to perfection by Sophie's sublime voice and spiced a bit by Patryk's excellent Death vocals. Everything on this track brings the listener to frenetic dance and excitement, even without the use of killer solos and ceaseless main theme repetitions. Night Charmers lasts a perfect 3:12, concluding itself on a nice short-liven narration.

Opening by storming a classical theme with perfect guitar mastery, Vampyra's Symphony isn't there to soften the album's pace. In fact, Patryk's excellent Death vocals and Sophie's Opera voice, both well-mastered too, contribute to energise a theorically middle-paced song, transforming it into and electrical piece of involving music.

The story begun in Forebearers of Dusk sadly ends with Vampyra's Symphony last notes, making these and all of the songs in-between the first part of the album, entitled Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance. This part truly shines with Black Moon, Night Charmers et Vampyrya's Symphony, simply the best songs on the album according to me.

Things go downhill when this listener's ear and mind encounter The War Of Avalon saga. Oh, not that Of Pagan And Fairy Tales, Witches Of Avalon, Dark Chivalry et Medieval Years are bad songs per se, but each of them brought me less joy than the rest of the album, for different reasons. Their main theme, maybe (Arthurian's Round Table legend seen by Mordred and Morgana LaFey… a myth I like as a symbol, an idealistic society, but not as a saga, as I feel it has been used not to the bone, but to the dust), else it might be the slowing rythm, kitsch narration (the goblin's voice… arg!), strangely-used and boasting vocals or too much long compositions… despite of this, all of these songs are worthy listening to, as incredible Final Fantasy musical references come and go here and there, never for too long, but always seeding joy within this listener's ear and mind.

Forebearers Of Dusk (as an album) doesn't conclude on this note though, rather leaving to Emperors Of Tomorrow the task of giving the album a "Walking Toward The Dying Sun" feeling, one filled with an enjoyable, masterfully crafted by perfect guitars, rythm. Éric Massicotte, Decayed Remains' singer, lends it's voice to the song without looking back, filling the composition with enough energy to drive it forward gleefully, on a lively note. The album could have ended this way that nobody would have protested. But Patryk knew his imagination couldn't be restrained anymore. And so he let the Beast run off… enchanting ballad, the pseudo-medieval keyboards, right-on guitars and perfect vocals (Sophie, truly demonstrating the immensity of her talent, hits the mark here) Sand Dragon represents this album's real conclusion. It's probably similar notes that I would have liked The War Of Avalon's songs to be filled with, with a bit more of speed, that is.

You're still there? Well, I think you might be so for a long time if I decided to tell you about all I can think on this album. To your great relief though, I don't want to go any further. So here's my conclusion : enchanting melodies and fantastic stories fanatics, get this Forebearers Of Dusk album without hesitating, or else be condemned to endure the World's Great Darkening (Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance) without having first heard it's somptuous echoes.

And, as the saying goes : you'll have been warned.

Song	Chapter	Time	Mark
Forebearers Of Dusk	Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance	5:41	8,5
Bloody Blossom	Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance	3:35	7,5
Years Without Light	Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance	5:17	8
As The Forest Speaks To Me	Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance	4:43	8
Black Moon	Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance	4:13	10
Night Charmers	Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance	3:12	9,5
Vampyra's Symphony	Dark Tales Of Rage And Romance	3:18	9,5
Of Pagan And Fairy Tales	The War Of Avalon	5:02	7
Witches Of Avalon	The War Of Avalon	3:49	6
The Reign Of Evil	The War Of Avalon	4:33	6,5
Dark Chivalry	The War Of Avalon	5:25	7
Medieval Years	The War Of Avalon	4:26	6,5
Emperor Of Tomorrow	Epilogue	4:14	9
Sand Dragons	Epilogue (*Bonus Track*)	3:49	10
Total :		61:29	8

P.S. : Howling Syn's actual lineup regroups Patryk Pigeon (Vocals/Bass), Sophie LeMay (Vocals), Éric Mireault (Drums) et Gilbert Riendeau (Guitars)

P.P.S. : Howling Syn's fantasy-based history (the one in this review) is, well, fantasy - pure fiction, a product of my own perverted imagination, very loosely inspired by Reality. I'm just hoping the Howling Synners will forgive my twisted sense of humor… :-D

by Empereur Ghoule