ALBUM REVIEW: Take A Chance – A Metal Tribute to ABBA – Amberian Dawn
Over the past 16 years Finnish quintet AMBERIAN DAWN have solidified themselves as one of the most influential symphonic power metal bands in the industry. With the help of tours with bands such as EPICA, LACUNA COIL, XANDRIA and DELAIN, they have most definitely paved their own unique path to success. Following on from the release of their ninth studio album Looking For You back in 2020, AMBERIAN DAWN are back once again to rock our world.
Blending expertly crafted symphonic power metal with ‘ABBA metal’, this band have definitely hit the nail on the head in terms of uniqueness. Their upcoming tenth album Take A Chance – A Metal Tribute To ABBA is set to be their most experimental body of work yet. Welcome to this brand new AMBERIAN DAWN era and experience a sound never witnessed before in this genre. The first track on this album is a superb cover of the ABBA classic Super Trouper. They have absolutely nailed the timeless harmonisation in the introduction, to the point that you could forget you aren’t actually listening to the real deal. Päivi Virkkunen‘s lead vocals sound pretty much identical to Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad combined – how wonderful.
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) manages to merge the typical ABBA sound with the band’s fantastic symphonic power metal sound they are most recognised for. The infectious instrumental in the bridge of the track just completes it; this is all a fan of both ABBA and metal could want and more. SOS is up next, its symphonic metal themed introduction keeping listeners excited for what’s to come. As soon as Virkkunen‘s incredible vocals kick in, we are as hooked as ever. The band have stuck to their roots here with some metal riffs hidden in the depths of the vintage inspired keyboard sounds, thereby creating something totally unique.
Head Over Heels starts off with an energetic power metal riff before leaping straight into the expected ABBA sound. Even though this is ultimately one of the lesser known ABBA songs, there is no denying that AMBERIAN DAWN have made this track their own. It is definitely guitarist Emil Pohjalainen‘s time to shine, with his insane level of musical skill seeping through the entirety of this song. The Day Before You Came definitely takes a more emotional, slower path, which is a pleasant change. Virkkunen‘s vocals are the star of this track, with her higher register sure to leave listeners in awe. Angeleyes brings us back to life with another high-energy cover, and That’s Me holds our attention from there. Fan-favourite Mamma Mia is next and it delivers in every way; AMBERIAN DAWN manage to inject their own sound into such a classic track, giving it a real star quality. The band keep the energy up with Under Attack and Pohjalainen‘s unbelievable talent is clear yet again with some truly astonishing guitar segments.
AMBERIAN DAWN change things up with the slower cover of the iconic 1981 ballad Like An Angel Passing Through My Room. This version is just incredible, with the heartfelt emotion in Virkkunen‘s voice throughout the track sounding as though she wrote the song, as she just sings with so much conviction. The closer is the classic Lay All Your Love On Me, and some might even say that this is better than the original and that’s quite a statement. The band just nail all the main elements of this song, whilst still remaining true to themselves, which is so important in this modern age.
AMBERIAN DAWN‘s Take A Chance – A Metal Tribute To ABBA is truly sensational. It is most definitely up there as one of the best albums of the year. The Finnish quintet have really thought outside the box here and not been afraid to try something different, which is very admirable. Somehow they have not made a typically cheesy ABBA tribute album, which was a slight worry; instead, they have effortlessly combined two completely contrasting genres of music, pushing endless boundaries along the way.
Rating: 9/10
Take A Chance – A Metal Tribute To ABBA is set for release on December 2nd via Napalm Records.
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