ALBUM REVIEW: Grim – Dark Sarah

Being a cinematic band hailing from Finland, you must feel like you are already suffering from a handicap. With the likes of NIGHTWISH pretty much being an unstoppable force at the top of the mountain of orchestral metal, any act that comes out of the Scandinavian metal scene will be automatically lumped into the pile of wannabes. While the Tarja-isms will be spouted about DARK SARAH, the band has proven over time that they are nipping at the heels of the symphonic behemoths that have come before them. Grim is the fourth album in the band’s cinematic story catalogue and begins a new fairytale of horror infused fantasy featuring soaring vocal melodies, twisting guitar lines and dreamlike synths.

The album opens up with an introduction to the record’s protagonist in the form of My Name is Luna, an atmospheric soundscape that builds over its short runtime and bleeds adequately into the albums first full song, The Chosen One. It features synth-led verses that pale in comparison to the track’s highlight, which is the towering chorus unleashed from vocalist Heidi Parviainen. She shows off her operatic style of singing effortlessly as it soars over the guitars. It stands out as an early album highlight and is a solid offering to being the record.

While Illuminate follows in the same vein, it can’t quite live up to the standards set by the previous track. It’s well crafted and Heidi shines once again but feels like a slight step off the gas and fails to build on the momentum gathered. Thankfully Melancholia doesn’t suffer from the same pitfalls with its commanding guitars and pounding drums. A ‘lighters up’ moment features towards the back end of the track that leads into a masterful solo before a stunning final chorus.

Iceheart again pumps the brakes for a haunting but uninspiring softer number. While Heidi once again showcases her immense ability it’s quite obvious from the get-go that DARK SARAH shines more when everyone is firing off on all cylinders. The Wolf and The Maiden once again features a returning cameo appearance from J.P. Leppäluoto who has made his presence known within the band’s discography. It’s a musical theatre lovers dream that sees the two vocalists trade-off over a soundtrack that could have featured in The Phantom of the Opera.

The following two tracks of The Hex and All Ears feature a more upbeat gothic pop bounce that will no doubt be live staples (when shows resume) with the second being their leadoff single and for good reason. Imagine a cross between NIGHTWISH and DEATHSTARS and you have this catchy number.

The Devils Peak is a slow burn that never manages to catch fire while Mork has a lot of moving parts that ends up feeling in-cohesive and jarring as it weaves it’s tale throughout its seven-minute runtime starting to tie up the story of the record. The Dark Throne wraps up proceedings in an amalgamation of synth-pop and operatic vocals. It’s an interesting choice to end the album on such a subdued note and while the track is interesting it does feel a little misplaced within the tracklisting.

While it will be difficult for some people to look past the obvious comparisons to NIGHTWISH, DARK SARAH are creating powerful music full of soulful moments and a sprinkling of dark essence. When they are on the top of their game, they are up there with the best of them in this genre. However, the album can suffer under the weight of its own cinematic ideology.

Grim, like it’s predecessors is a tale that ebbs and flows with power and grace through its narrative. While it does suffer from moments of style over substance, overall it’s a grandiose saga that is able to captivate the listener through the wall of sound DARK SARAH have created with Heidi Parviainen‘s remarkable vocal performance at the forefront once again.

Rating: 7/10

Grim is set for release on July 17th via Napalm Records.

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