Kamelot - The Shadow Theory

Twelve studio albums into their career, Kamelot pretty much has the operatic, symphonic/neo-classical metal sound down to a tee. Indeed, from the compositions to the performances, The Shadow Theory is as clinical as any release from the band as of late and on his third album with the band Tommy Karevik sounds perfectly comfortable at the front of the demanding gorgeous instrumentation the band brings. But the band are clearly not simply sitting in a bubble ignoring the criticisms of past albums; on The Shadow Theory, the band seem to be branching out not only into more accessible sounds at the sacrifice of their progressive tendencies, but also diversifying their portfolio with a few production flairs and occasionally increased heaviness. It’s a bit of a conundrum because it contains so much of Kamelot in their as-usual state (“In Twilight Hours”, “Stories Unheard”, “Vespertine (My Crimson Bride)”), Kamelot taking a more mass-appeal route (“Burns to Embrace”, “Amnesiac”, “Static”), and Kamelot reaching new heights of symphonic heaviness (“Kelvar Skin”, “RavenLight”, “The Proud and the Broken”, “MindFall Remedy”).

There really isn’t all that much to say about The Shadow Theory that doesn’t already apply to past Kamelot albums. Tommy sounds as angelic as ever, and the symphonically-backed metal behind him reaches for the same neo-classical glory as usual even if they sometimes employ some more digestible song structures and musical elements and more seven-stringed guitars this time around. It definitely has some standouts, but they don’t stand out dramatically, and probably aren’t enough to expand Kamelot’s audience quite like they seem to be hoping.