Thy Majestie, ShiHuangDi (2012)

Tracklist:

1. Zhoongguo
2. Seven Reigns
3. Harbinger of a New Dawn
4. Siblings of Tian
5. Walls of the Emperor
6. Under the Same Sky
7. Farewell
8. Huanghun
9. Ephemeral
10. End of the Days
11. Requiem

Ten years into their career, Italian power metallers, Thy Majestie, have stumbled upon the rare delicacies of the orient.  Chiselling fables of regal heroism and historical masterdom from the scorched rock of Ancient Chinese legend the result, ShiHuangDi, is a record to spawn debate and consternation – not to mention a colourful assortment of pronunciations – amongst all metal fans.

Opening to a symphonicised intro set to the unique tones of misty, far-Eastern forests (or, alternatively, recorded in studios with chronic damp problems), the album leads its listeners through the rise, consolidation, and calamitous ruin of an Emperor-pretender who seeks to unite the peoples of Qi.  Woe to he who would dare to curse the conviction of its chroniclers: Thy Majestie have woven a musical tapestry of such masterly guile and intensity that it could rightly serenade the sovereigns of any dynasty.  Bassy harmonies – oh-so powerful powerchords buttressed by purple strings, martial brass, and reverential choirs – underwrite an impressive array of lusciously-toned sounds, from squealing guitars to juddering, caustic synths, while staggering melodies – in all respects, from solos to vocals and accompaniment – flash like rockets across the skyline.

A soundtrack fit for an emperor, and one superbly well crafted.  There’s no lack of instrumental invention on show.  The dynastic armies march to determined strides, but are not averse to a variety of different rhythms, from an expectant canter to the edgy, irregular footfalls of a force in doubt and fear.  At moments, the music stretches itself to the limits of creativity, but never fails in its execution, as with a particularly ambitious bridge of the fifth track, Walls of the Emperor, which roars through a series of markedly differing tempos in rapid succession, still never threatening to lose its grip on the overall direction and purpose of the material.

And while the sounds of conquest are, for the most part, predictably triumphant, some of the strongest moments arise in more sorrowful settings: the introductions to tracks 3, Harbinger of a New Dawn, and 7, Farewell, which drift in on mournful operatic vocals are particularly good examples.  Throughout, however, Thy Majestie offer so much variation in mood, tempo, and tone, and – very much in the vein of the ever-changing rhythmic devices – all so very well measured, that their battling exertions never grow tired.

This is, in the best sense of the word, an epic.  On the most obvious level, the size and depth of sound is magnificent.  There is more than the occasional ring of movie soundtracks amidst the immaculately articulated orchestration (the introduction of track 5, Walls of the Emperor, might draw justified comparison to Hans Zimmer’s musical masterpiece behind the film Gladiator).  Most impressive, however, is an ability to bind each song into a more broadly sweeping, epic framework.  One side of this equation is that not every track stands out as a classic in its own right.  But when Seven Reigns, the very first song of the album, disappears with sudden and unexpected with bluntness, its successors make it quickly clear that there’s a wider course of musical construction under way.  And how satisfying to have an album where the flowing progression of both lyrics and music compliment each other’s tasks so very well.

For all these genuine wonders, however, there are just a few moments where it feels like they’ve not been fully communicated.  Despite a seemingly extensive command of their chosen language, Thy Majestie often struggle to get their lyrical messages across.  Frequently, the soaring vocals of Alessio Taormina stumble over sounds and pronunciations, making the larger part of the lyrics indecipherable; even when voiced clearly enough to make words out, there are instances where pronunciation distorts meaning, as when “herald” is sung to the sound “heir” in the line “Can’t you see I’m the herald of a new world” (track 6, Under the Same Sky).

This would mean little, of course, if the musical themes themselves did the talking.  And, overwhelmingly, they do: in all their pomp and splendour, they brilliantly capture the spirit of the theme.  Particularly pleasing are the momentary instances of East Asian inspiration.  Inevitably, these encompass instrumentation, as in the stirring intro and finale, when the twangs and ripples of the orient make noteworthy appearances.  A greater talent still for thematic synthesis, however, is paraded by the orchestration of Chinese (sounding) motifs for full symphony orchestra, most obviously in track 9, Ephemeral, which opens to elegantly swaying strings, thereafter drawing to a haunting close in tones reminiscent of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s film-score masterpiece, Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence.  Unfortunately, but for brief instances, there is little in the music itself to raise the glory of ancient China, as the empire is left bask in compositions embodying all the oriental authenticity of Arthur and the knights of Camelot.  A shame, not least given how very, very good it all sounds when the album’s orchestral might is diverted towards more originally Asian themes.

But then, who’s to say they were wrong to do so, anyway?  The blistering quality of composition throughout, moulded around a rousing – if somewhat implausible and not always completely articulated – storyline is easily enough to pull the ShiHuangDi away from the grips of all its detractions.  Make no mistake: this could well be the best thing to come from power metal since Sonata Arctica’s Reckoning Night.  It’s monstrous.  It’s magnificent.  It is, in every sense of the word, magisterial.  It’s almost enough to forgive them the spelling mistake in their name.

Production: 5/5

Lyrics: 3/5

Album Cohesion: 4/5

Music: 9/10

Percentage Score: 84/100

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REVIEW ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED TO DESTRUCTIVE MUSIC