Vanden Plas Chronicles Of The Immortals Netherworld Part II.



Vanden Plas have produced nothing less than superb music over their 20 year career that has produced now 8 studio albums after last year's Path 1 we now get the continuation and conclusion of the epic Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld with Part 2 due to be released on Frontiers Records Srl  on November the 6th. 

Suffice it to say that this latest release is the second half of the band's collaboration with successful homeland author Wolfgang Hohlbein, based on his vampire series Die Chronik der Unsterblichen (The Chronicle of the Immortals) with the story of the immortal Andrej Delãnymay continuing as he makes his way through the Netherworld to save others as well as himself.

I was lucky enough to see the band live on a rare visit to the UK and know what a band Vanden Plas are.When they lock in together and turn up the screw musically they are dynamic and awe inspiring and with the fact that they spend the other half of their careers in the theatre we should rejoice at any new music from the band.

As before we get light and shade as the music soars and ebbs and flows and their theatre work is evident with a sense of dynamics and atmosphere that their orchestrated work deserves.Andy Kuntz is a vocal gymnast of the highest order and his theatrical sense of work is everywhere as he takes centre stage and you can feel how much work he has put into this epic album.

9 tracks over the course of an hour and as before I feel that the album works so well as a whole piece as it was intended.

The whole band Stephan Lill (guitars) Günter Werno (keyboards) Torsten Reichert (bass) Andreas Lill (drums) all play their part whether it is on beautiful quiet passages of keyboards or when they smash home a piece of heavy progressive rock with power metal tendencies with pounding double bass drums and bass and huge rock hard guitar riffs and soaring guitar solo's.

Opener In My Universe is a mid paced orchestrated piece with the verse played quietly with Kuntz's trademark soaring vocals before a big guitar riff explodes at the chorus and a typically melodic guitar solo from Andreas Lill.A choir of background vocals soar alongside Kuntz mid song and extend into the next chorus before a huge band workout to finish.

Godmaker's Temptation goes back between an acoustic interlude and builds to a huge chorus with Kuntz showing off his range to it's full capacity with more orchestrated back up.

Stone Roses Edge after a gentle piano intro and Kuntz vocal explodes when a heavy as hell guitar riff and keyboard riff entwine on a pounding rocker that still finds time to dip just before the chorus starts so the chorus hit's even harder.After the second chorus the band take over producing a huge double bass drum led part that shows off their telepathic understanding with everyone showing them self off at the top of their game. 

Blood Of Eden is a thirteen minute song of epic proportions that you can imagine being played in the theatre.An album on it's own!!After a piano intro and Kuntz vocal the song builds and builds with a female vocal part added to the mix pre chorus and the 2 voices work fantastically together as they soar and dip over an orchestrated piece.After 4 minutes a heavier guitar riff kicks in and Kuntz goes up another notch before at 5 minutes the whole band then show off their skills on a musical tour de force that when you listen to it again and again you pick up a part you missed the time before.Each band member gets a place to excel showing they are such a tight unit.Wonderful.

Monster is built on a big guitar riff and huge gang background vocals before Diabolica Comedia slows the pace with plenty of light and shade and a huge chorus with Kuntz holding the notes for all he is worth.

Where Have The Children Gone is built for the theatre with musical parts where you can imagine the lights dipping and then as the band hit hard everything being lit up.A squealing guitar riff at the chorus works well alongside orchestrated work.

The Last Fight builds to a soaring chorus and band masterclass in dynamics going from a raging double bass part to quiet keyboards and back in a short space of time.Andreas Lill hits a thoughtful guitar solo showing it isn't all about how many notes you can fit in!!

Circle Of The Devil starts with a tolling bell and Kuntz showing off his lower register over an orchestrated part which builds and builds till it takes over with a choir of voices too.Mid paced with a theatrical feel you can imagine all of the cast joining up on stage as the song flows through a guitar solo and builds to a musical crescendo before fading away.

Vanden Plas are masters of their art and have created a 2 part opus of a magnitude many bands could never contemplate doing.

I suppose it is too much to ask for them to come back to the UK and play it for us!!

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