ALBUM REVIEW: Metamorphosis – The Dark Side Of The Moon

If you’ve ever sat through The Hobbit wishing the Dwarves’ Misty Mountains song packed more of a punch, THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON have got you covered. A supergroup consisting of FEUERSCHWANZ, AMARANTHE and AD INFINITUM members, their debut album is an ode to the biggest fantasy franchises in the world. The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Witcher and more all get the melodic metal treatment on Metamorphosis, the band’s debut record.

Formed after singer Melissa Bonny of AD INFINITUM lost a bet to FEUERSCHWANZ guitarist Hans Platz, which resulted in them recording a souped-up version of Jenny Of Oldstones, the band have put together an album of reimagined themes and tracks inspired by their favourite fictional worlds and characters.

Many of the melodies on Metamorphosis come loaded with nostalgia. As part of Peter Jackson’s unparalleled Lord Of The Rings, ENYA’s May It Be was pitched perfectly as a new-age folk song that sounded like Frodo’s longing for the hills of Hobbiton, while teaching a new generation of fantasy fans it was okay to cry over fairytales and fiction. JOHN WILLIAMS’ iconic Harry Potter theme still makes millions of adults wish their Hogwarts letter had come before the start of another non-wizarding school year.

For better or worse – usually worse – all of these emotional delicacies are removed when distorted guitars and double kick drums come clattering in, which is reliably the moment most listeners will wonder: why? Bonny has the vocal chops to pull off all of these familiar favourites and then some, and there is little doubting the rest of the band’s credentials when it comes to serving up some infectious metal. But at best the covers on Metamorphosis are harmlessly unnecessary, while at their worst – like on Double Trouble / Lumos! – they are downright silly, stripping away the magic these classic themes stir up in listeners and replacing it with embarrassing cheese.

Better is The Gates Of Time, a song inspired by The Legend Of Zelda but written by the band. It’s familiar territory for the genre but it sounds like it is supposed to sound, with its punchy instrumentation and anthemic chorus. On the basis of this alone, the supergroup have done themselves a disservice by reinterpreting songs instead of taking inspiration from the worlds they come from.

The much-loved Legends Never Die (originally featuring AGAINST THE CURRENT) from League Of Legends is given the cover treatment and sounds fine, but does little to distinguish itself from the original. As a straight-forward pop metal banger it ticks the right boxes and doesn’t raise any eyebrows, unlike the galloping The Hanging Tree, sang by Jennifer Lawrence for Mockingjay’s soundtrack. What was a rousing working-song is given a lifeless power metal makeover, with a shredding solo that helps divorce this version from any climactic significance of Lawrence’s version.

It all ends with the song that gave THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON life, their riffed up Jenny Of Oldstones, a piece sung beautifully by Podrick in Game Of Thrones and elevated by FLORENCE + THE MACHINE thanks to Florence Welch’s melancholic delivery, making for a gentle and devastating lullaby. Again, an emotionally charged moment from a (mostly) loved fantasy franchise is turned into something jarring and odd, totally missing all the heart and agony of its source material.

Where BEYOND THE BLACK’s cover of Gurenge from Demon Slayer and EPICA’s ode to Attack On Titan felt like fun diversions, THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON have committed to the bit with little to show for it. High-point The Gates Of Time suggests there is something to be made out of this project, combining catchy hooks with video game and cinematic lore, but only when the band pen the music themselves. As it is, most of Metamorphosis is a simple novelty with nothing below the surface.

Rating: 4/10

Metamorphosis is set for release on May 12th via Napalm Records.

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