ALBUM REVIEW: I Am The Empire – Live From The 013 – Kamelot

KAMELOT’s newest live album is certainly a long time coming. Their last proper live release was almost 15 years ago and since then, the band has gone through a myriad of lineup changes and delivered a bevy of albums full of hits that echo with an entire new generation of fans. So it feels even more fitting that with their brand new live album I Am the Empire – Live from the 013, which will also be released on DVD/Blu Ray as a live concert film, the band drives hard into songs crafted within their newer iterations. But with skilled production from longtime collaborator Sascha Paeth and a veritable who’s who of metal friends along for the ride, this live album captures a show that really does feel special in the long running history of KAMELOT.

Right away the first noticeable success on this album is the sound. The aforementioned Paeth does a great job in making sure that every instrument gets its due and no one performer drowns out another. The drums are crisp and the guitar solos soar when they need to. The strings, such an important part of this band’s sound, stay just as prominent from track to track as they do on studio releases. Lead vocalist Tommy Karevik’s voice soars and when there is a guest that joins him, their voices blend and balance extremely well. Credit where credit is due, this is a great sounding live album first and foremost.

The other apparent fact is just how much energy this band consistently brings to a live performance. Though the band focuses mainly on tracks from the middle to current part of their career, the live audience response to each song, no matter the era, is massive and boisterous and that in itself is transportative for the listener. The electricity from the crowd on Forever, and the sheer volume they bring to the live singalong and chant that continues even into the next song is infectious and transports the listener right to the front of the stage.

The band is also in top form and songs like The Great Pandemonium and Insomnia sound fantastic. The grandiosity is right there, and lead guitarist and band founder Thomas Youngblood adds a huge presence with his skill and tone. New drummer Alex Landenburg also shows off his chops for his first release with the band. His drum solo, which he shares with keyboardist and unsung hero in his own right Oliver Palotai, speaks volumes about his fit within KAMELOT for the future ahead. The electricity from the crowd on Forever, and the sheer volume they bring to the live singalong and chant that continues even into the next song is infectious and transports the listener right to the front of the stage.

But if there is one reason above all to add this live record to the power metal collection, it’s the live collaboration tracks. These songs stand out already on KAMELOT’s studio releases, but they take on a whole new life and breathe new energy on I Am the Empire. The album opens with Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire), and Lauren Hart from ONCE HUMAN adds a unique aggressive texture to the song amidst its symphonic swell. My Confession features EKLIPSE, a crossover string quartet that adds an actual live symphonic orchestral sound that elevates KAMELOT’s sound tenfold. Karevik’s voice soars on this track, and Youngblood’s guitar ends the song on a lasting high that adds this to the highlight list.

Fan favourite March of Mephisto, which originally featured DIMMU BORGIR’s Shagrath, now brings in ARCH ENEMY’s Alissa White-Gluz, who does an excellent job capturing the darkness and shadow that lies in this track. The energy is high here and the instruments, particularly the drumming, are running hot. Under Grey Skies makes its live debut with Charlotte Wessels of DELAIN, and although this song doesn’t have the punch of the others, the vocals once again sound great and serve as a demonstration as to how good everyone singing on this record really is. White-Gluz comes back to join AMARANTHE’s Elize Ryd on the album’s main highlight Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife). The chorus of this song is huge in a live setting and it’s captured brilliantly here, even more so than their rendition on 2012’s Silverthorn. Each vocalist blends with the other and adds their own flavor, but it’s the way the harmonies come together live and how organic they sound that makes this one a must hear. A guitar/keyboard solo duel is the icing on the cake.

Though most of the songs on this record hit with considerable force and energy, there are few that don’t translate quite as well. Ballad Here’s to the Fall, though it does change up the pace, brings down the energy and jolts the momentum a bit. New track Amnesiac is a bit repetitive and short to leave a lasting impact as well, but by and large the emotional gravity carries from front to back. Overall, this is a great live record from a band who sorely needed a new one. KAMELOT is a band that flies under the radar at times but knows how to connect and deliver great live shows, and this album should make many a power metal fan wish they were back seeing the band live again. But with such a special show recorded and ready, this is as close as it gets to being there.

Rating: 8/10

I Am The Empire – Live From The 013 is out now via Napalm Records.

For more information on KAMELOT like their official page on Facebook.