Arise From Thorns - Before An Audience Of Stars

1. Dreaming (3:44) 2. Time Alone (5:25) 3. Among The Leaves (4:33) 4. I Can't Believe (4:11) 5. Lure (5:15) 6. Surrender (5:52) 7. Remember The Stars (4:41) 8. Lovelorn (6:00) 9. Persia (4:08) 10. The Red And The Black (9:01) 11. Bluer Skies (4:45) 12. To Dance By Moonlight (4:40) 13. The Calling (3:01) 14. Return Of The Old Forest (1:52)

Total Running Time: 67:32

With a debut record displaying an enormous amount of maturity, the members of Arise From Thorns (currently known as Brave) introduced themselves to the progressive metal scene, proving to any unbelievers that their inwrought sense of melody and atmospheric soundscapes were capable of transmitting countless emotional states and drown an audience into a sea of heartfelt emotion. Delivering its music with an incredible performance, Arise From Thorns clearly states its maturity as a tight, solid unit, envisioning no boundaries in creativity and means of self-expression.

Before An Audience Of Stars is an album that soars into unseen landscapes and glides majestically with melodies that echo with both a sense of frailty and imposition. The album contains a notable repertoire of fourteen tracks, every one of them dwelling entirely in gloomy atmospheric sound layers and embracing grooves, all led by an angelic vocal melody throughout the record. Arise From Thorns borrows from the style of bands such as The Gathering and Lacuna Coil, basing its entire songwriting on emotional melody lines in order to immerse the listener in a moody, slightly dark scenery, leaving one in a fragile, insecure state, with the scarce means of refuge offered in the dramatic and enchanting melodies that beautifully guide the album.

Intricate, acoustic textures introduce us to the precious opening track "Dreaming," making use of every possible element to quickly make an impact in a relaxing sort of way, taking advantage of time signature changes and mellow passages to create strong subclimaxes within the song. Each following track backs up these elements with enormous conviction, never loosing that spark full of mysticism and "feel" in even the most insignificantly remote passages of the record. Intensely emotional pieces such as "Lure," "I Can't Believe," and "Among The Leaves" are strong enough to turn around some heads, demanding the attention of those indecisive listeners and paving the way for a dormant monumental band patiently awaiting recognition. On the other hand, songs such as the mellow, tranquil compositions "The Red and The Black" and "Bluer Skies" give an amazing balance to the record, ultimately soothing the senses with peaceful, delicate arrangements and passages.

Arise From Thorns (Brave) truly offers a breathtaking performance with heartfelt compositions and is clearly yet to make its true musical statement. The band only needs to take minor steps aside from its roots and influences to further develop its musical capabilities and ultimately find a sound and approach truly all its own.

(Also read the review for the band's latest EP Waist Deep In Dark Waters)

-by Javier Elizondo

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