Amberian Dawn - Looking for You

Titular track “Looking for You” really delves in to the term “futurism as seen in the 80s” as Tuomas said. Going for a mid-tempo pace and a more moody atmosphere and sultry, yearning vocals by Capri expressing about sadness and loneliness while the heavy metal dances it’s way throughout the melodic verses. Next is “Two Blades”, a song about secretive love where Capri vocals soars along the burning riffs of the guitars.

Continuing their unique story about the origins of the witch from Magic Forest, “Symphony No. 1, Pt. 3: Awakening” features special guest Fabio Lione of Rhapsody. This track is a big standout in the album as it feels like listening to a Broadway musical, delivering a cinematic and epic presence from the dramatic orchestral symphony that takes  center stage in the music. Then you remember that this is still Amberian Dawn as it picks up the power metal aspects of drums and electrifying racing pace of the guitars. The duet compliments each other of Lione's handsome tenor voice and Capri's lovely high notes. How do you even recover from an epic track like that? More dance in “Go for a Ride” with it’s upbeat lyrics of inspiring you to fight for your while using racetrack analogies. Sounding like a cliché, it still doesn’t change my mind on how infectious the music is.

“Butterfly” follows up in joyful melodies of exploration in life and feeling free as the choir of voices provides an angelic feel as if you’re flying in the air while being so strong and delicate like to that on the wings of a butterfly. Delivering us to the next track “Universe”, which I say is a heavy lullaby, starts of a starry-like melodic intro of Capri’s motherly singing voice as if she is putting you to sleep with her comfort. I appreciate how metal elements doesn’t overpower the ballad, giving the album more of it’s beautiful features.

Here, the day has come that Amberian Dawn has finally covered an ABBA hit song, “Lay All Your Love On Me”! Embracing their comparison to the popular Swedish group, the band executed the power metal really well while blending the chorus arrangements that is a similar take from the film “Mamma Mia!”. Said and done, the band’s fun journey of future and dance comes to an end in the instrumental track “Au Revoir” (fitting) of powerful 80s sounds. Let's not leave out the encore to the album, a remastered track from 2014’s “Magic Forest” which also serves as a bonus. “Cherish My Memory” adopts a more of heavier sound while still using the delicate symphonic sounds as intended in the original.