EPICA

I was suprised to find Kamelot listed on this site as they are usually described as a melodic power metal band, and that agrees with how I would set it. However, their lead vocalist's former band, Conception, belongs clearly to the prog metal field and that would make Kamelot familiar with progressive music fans. Epica is Kamelot's most mature album, with a strong combination of power, agression and melody. Roy Khan's lyrics and vocal style balance with the non-stop raging music and thus the album is an easy listen to mostly everyone. There are the typical Kamelot songs on this album with the orchestrations of Miro giving a certain depth to their power metal, with the wonderful and inspired choruses, all performed by Roy Khan. There are also elements of other music(notice the Tango rythm of the Lost and Damned), two wonderful ballads, and the additional female vocals of Mari that add a great amount of melody to the outcome. The most worthy album(maybe along with Karma) of a band that refused to fall into the standards of power metal and live up having their own style and view of metal music.