Plague of Stars - Daedalus

 “Virus” kicks of the album with a deeply-rooted guitar solo by Maravelas before the song picks up speed, entering the voice of Ferlaak who flies through the doom melodies, defying the criticism of “classical does not mix with metal” with her amazing versatility! The lyrics tells about the grim fate of humanity that’s sets up the music what we will expect on the album. Next up, “Seven” takes on a more heavy and slow direction with the instrumentation than the opening track did, and Ferlaak becomes more expressive with her vibratos that adds color to the dark sounds that paints this song, while the soprano voice underneath the main vocal melody brings an eerie atmosphere. As we reach the halfway point to the song, the band strips the metal and becomes “doom acoustic”, showing the softer and raw side of this ever-changing metal band, but returns to shredding the listeners ears nearing the end with pure doom metal.  The brooding title track “Daedalus” starts with a breakdown of the shredding guitars and progressive drumming with the additional sounds of the synths (by VoA Voxyd) that combines into creating this horror theme to the atmosphere, expressing the dangers of corrupted good intentions. Melissa’s storytelling haunts the music of manipulation and enslavement from technologies and how humankind can easily lose their morals. “Suffering” is where we get more of the raw side of the band with focus of trembling vibrations of Morton's bassline, and coming in like a barrage, “A Divisive Essence” with the heavy hitting forces that can put progressive listeners in a headbanging trance.

 The standout title “Baby in the Lightbulb Bath” marches in with soaring lamenting vocals as the instruments crushes the music with hellish proportions about those in power dancing to the fingers of their puppet masters to the tune about destroying society and the truth. Unveiled in 2017, the 7 minute “The Lies and the Blind” is a dynamic song, the opening up with synths that reminds you of The Gathering's “Mandylion”, then goes Draconian as the electric guitar plays it’s strumming melody while the rhythm guitar shreds the surfaces, unveiling the heaviness of this track. While the last minute, tempo changes and breaks to a barrage of thrash and the following song “Glass Gaze” doesn’t lose the momentum while going for a more rhythmic pace. Finally, “I Wrote a Letter to Time” is a reminiscent to Ferlaak's previous band, Aesma Daeva, closing the album with a dystopian theme with Plague of Stars' genuine doom riffs.