February was a good month for symphonic metal, with releases from both Flowerleaf and Epinikion impressive, the former becoming a personal obsession, even moreso after experiencing them live in mid March, and the latter an album I just get lost in. The debut full length from another band was also quite impressive, “Infernal Symphony” from Gothenburg, Sweden, symphonic metal band Shatterheart. I find that symphonic metal can be a love/hate relationship for me, with many bands describing themselves in this way, but requiring me to squint my eyes and tilt my head sideways to find the metallic aspects. Much like the first two albums I mentioned, this is not an issue with Shatterheart, as they deliver plenty of metal in slick symphonic packaging. The riffs are driving and powerful, the drums thunderous, and there is plenty of lead and solo work featuring both guitars and keys. Vocalist Alicke Kostopoulou is phenomenal, a punchy vocal delivery that can stretch from alto to the clouds, with plenty of power and emotion to bring the lyrics to life. The orchestration complements the metallic aspects well, working in tandem at times while also taking the lead to mix things up, adding a feeling of bombast. The band blends an 80’s hard rock sensibility with the heavier symphonic metal, which can cause the songs at times to feel like they follow a formula, with verse chorus progressions, an instrumental bridge / solo, and a final refrain. Rather than detracting, this brings an accessibility factor that many symphonic metal albums lack, but it does so without sacrificing the heaviness. And despite the straightforward feel at times, the band isn’t afraid to experiment and mix things up. This includes the album flow, which can meander a bit between a more throwback feel, a more modern feel, or a blend of both. What is cool is that it works quite well, resulting in a cohesive album that is heavy, melodic, and easy to sing along with!

“Afterlife” rockets off the pad in a blaze of symphonic power metal, massive orchestration soaring over fast riffs and galloping drums. After the emphatic intro, Alicke’s voice enters with a pointed alto approach, boosters still firing at full speed. After a couple verse-chorus pairings, the band delivers a fun extended instrumental passage featuring a solo tradeoff between guitar and keys, smoke emanating off strings and ivory. This transitions into an epic sounding choir-backed theatrical passage that sees Alicke showing off the top half of her range, racing ahead to the finish with vocals soaring to the stratosphere while the symphonics collide in a bombastic finish.

“Nightchild” shifts gears, entering a wormhole to the 80’s with its old school sensibility while maintaining a modern sheen and symphonic luster. The riffing is straightforward but hefty, driving along as Alicke tickles your ears with nonstop singable melodies, particularly the chorus which could easily have made it a top 40 hit in the 80’s. The symphonic atmosphere is light for most of the song, though it thickens in the back half, creating a cool atmosphere around the old school riffs. Honestly the song felt a little disconcerting the first time I heard it since I wasn’t expecting the throwback feel, but it flows quite nicely with the surrounding songs and builds a bit of an ongoing musical narrative as the album progresses. I love the diversity on the album that songs like this exhibit.

“No Rest” returns back to the present, a Nightwish like intro yielding to a simple piano melody before hitting a symphonic metal stride, heavy chugs and hits enveloped in airy orchestration as the vocals penetrate the musical cloud. A brief interlude featuring piano and choir quickly pivots to a short guitar then keyboard solo. The ending pulls all the varied elements together, the piano underpinning the guitars before they fade out, allowing the piano to finish in atmospheric soliloquy.

“A Shattered Heart” in name feels like the band’s title track, a triumphant return to speedy symphonic power after the meandering of the previous 2 tracks. The keys take a larger role, matching the energy of the guitar riffs that crafts an airy wall of driving sound. The chorus is big and anthemic, featuring an earworm melody and a head bopping sensibility. You get a sweet extended guitar solo that decides to keep the spotlight rather than giving the keyboards a turn, before a final chorus races to the finish. 

“Betrayal” has one foot in the 80’s and one in present day, blending throwback with symphonic layers. It starts with synths and hefty chugs enveloped in atmosphere before settling into a more straightforward riff. The vocals have an emotive quality to them, gripping at your heart as they navigate their somber melodies. The back half of the song ventures further into modern symphonic, with crushing riffs, ethereal orchestration, and a mini guitar solo, before time warping again. Alicke demonstrates great variety in her vocals, including showing off some range as the song is working toward its conclusion.

“The Ghosts Remain” gives off darker moody textures while employing a faster symphonic power metal feel. Alicke is joined by guest vocalist Ambre Vourvahis of Xandria, and the duo forms a powerhouse vocal force that adds urgency and passion to the delivery. I love the song’s power groove, accented by regular symphonic flourishes and pervasive atmosphere. The late guitar solo exemplifies the urgency, frenetic in its fret gymnastics. I find the chorus melody quite infectious, and it even features a late key change which always makes me smile!

“Raging Storm” has a driving symphonic metal feel, though it allows a somber piano to start the party before adding driving guitars. It drops the guitars to let the bass briefly power forward amidst symphonic atmosphere, then layers guitars back in to build to the soaring poignant chorus, the vocals stunning. After the second chorus, we get a symphonic-driven bridge that is reprised after a brief guitar solo, a dynamic drop featuring solo piano, and a final refrain as the song ends.

“Forever Will Last” is the only true slow song, with primary ingredients of picked guitar and subtle orchestration that has a harp or lyre-like feel. Halfway through a nice guitar solo flies over the top, adding icing to the symphonic layer cake, only to yield back to a laid back symphonic instrumental that makes way for a power ballad-like build to the end. The subtle instrumentation serves as a perfect vehicle for Alicke’s emotive vocals, showcasing her talents as she truly steals the spotlight.

The last two tracks move things in a different direction and see the band flexing their creativity a bit more. “Ground Turns to Dust” starts a trend that carries through to the final track, utilizing more dynamics and theatrical bombast to create mood and add texture to the composition. This song still leans heavily into the hard rock influences, with nice riffing and a killer guitar solo, but the symphonics are far from subtle, with ethereal orchestration and choir front and center as they invade every aspect of the song. Alicke’s vocals are moody but very singable, particularly that chorus, and she really soars at the climax.

The title track is by far the longest and also the most unique on the album, honestly something I would love to see Shatterheart do more of in the future. Tracking at just over 11 minutes, it hearkens to the bombast and theatrics of an Edenbridge ending track with its epic feel and myriad layers. It starts like a video game soundtrack, airy symphonics over a light drum cadence, eventually thickening the orchestration and adding guitars to the mix. Alicke begins in subdued fashion just shy of the two minutes mark, a backing choir enveloping her, building to a chorus that lets loose a bit more. Another chorus and verse takes you to the typical length of a song on the album, and yet we aren’t even halfway yet! A transition into a slower ethereal section dominated by keyboards and swirling synths provides the scaffolding for Alicke to pierce through the atmosphere. Big choir swells and soaring vocals over a simple piano pivot to a more driving symphonic metal cadence, Alicke’s vocals punctuating as the guitars and drums drive forward. The guitar solo begins, more restrained at first, and then it just goes off, with the drums galloping full speed ahead. Another dynamic shift leads to a symphonic interlude, a brief reprise of the chorus, and some freestyle vocals acting like their own keyboard lead that transitions to true keyboard lead. This melody continues as vocal flourishes increase in emphatic fashion, finally dialing down to a more restrained piano melody with heartfelt vocals closing out this epic track.

Shatterheart has delivered a fabulous debut album, with memorable melodies, plenty of heft, and a big feel. I find it impossible not to sing along or hum melodies long after I have completed a listening session. I will be keeping an eye on the band and am excited to see where they go next. All symphonic metal lovers should absolutely listen to this album, but lovers of metal should too!