(Symphonic Power Metal / Melodic Progressive Metal) Celestial Decay - Contradictum - 2010, MP3 (tracks), 320 kbps

Celestial Decay is a symphonic melodic metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden.
The band was formed in 2008 by Hobbe Houshmand (Guitars) and Henrik Hedman (Drums) with the ambition of creating a sound that rejuvenates the metal genre while staying true to its origin. The music can be described as energetic and powerful, yet smooth as silk when needed.
"Celestial Decay is a heavily focused symphonic metal band with the epic storytelling power of Dream Theater, the lush orchestrations of a band like Virgin Black, and the backing power of heaviness mixed with plenty of melody similar to bands like Kamelot."
- The Metal Forge
"The musicians are technically skilled and accompanies the ambitious theme well. The epic parts are decorated with keyboards, fitting vocal harmonies and guitars with finesse."

Sweden Rock Magazine
"The musicians are technically skilled and accompanies the ambitious theme well. The epic parts are decorated with keyboards, fitting vocal harmonies and guitars with finesse." "The fact that Rhiannas 'Unfaithful' fits the concept, tells how meticulously well crafted the album is."
The Metal Forge
"Celestial Decay is a heavily focused symphonic metal band with the epic storytelling power of Dream Theater, the lush orchestrations of a band like Virgin Black, and the backing power of heaviness mixed with plenty of melody similar to bands like Kamelot." "From the opening track there's plenty of electronic influence to make Contradictum possible to share a stage or genre with the likes of Dark Tranquility or Soilwork, both also of the Gothenburg musical style, just minus the death metal." "Overall it is a great concept story, as the instruments are all performed well and it should satisfy anyone who enjoys progressive metal or symphonic metal epics."
Reflections of Darkness
"‘Contradictum’ is an impressive debut album, it’s filled with melodic and powerful songs that kind of takes you by the hand (or ear) and leads you on an interesting music adventure. I find this album interesting and complex with instrumental parts where you can simply enjoy the good sounding music..."
Critical Mass
"It's symphonic, powerful and well played. The soundscape is perfectly balanced and the listener can hear every detail in it clear as a bell."
"Strictly musically speaking Celestial Decay fits right next to bands in the same genre. It's dynamic and all members are more or less virtuous on their respective instruments."
ArtRock
"Genre spanning music, power/goth mixed with progressive metal and a touch of Saga as icing on the cake, a musical feast that makes you desire more"
"The music revolves around the symphonic metal genre with progressive passages where band such as Kamelot must have been influential"
http://www.myspace.com/celestialdecay
http://www.celestialdecay.com/

Melodic Metal from Sweden. An album which, until now, wasnt available for download on any sharing site yet. So reupload and share, so that they get more known and get more fans
Those who remember a three track demo review I did some time ago for a band called Last Kingdom, might prick up their ears at this new Power Metal band. Celestial Decay is their name and this is their first album - Contradictum. I'm probably over exaggerating the connection between the two bands though. Celestial Decay is basically the band that Hobbe Houshmand started after he left Last Kingdom for greener pastures. Let's see though what this new material is like and whether Hobbe made a good choice in changing bands.

For starters, Contradictum is a lot longer than the Last Kingdom demo; about 7-8 times longer at that. The new album is somewhat of an epic with its almost 80 minute length and a series of concept songs called "Final Night". While the album's length might be daunting, most of it is able to be "split up" and listened to at different times. The tracks aren't one huge song when put together so perhaps the listener could treat Contradictum as a double disc album.

Music-wise, Contradictum is as could be expected with a full-length-plus Power Metal album. You'll find fast melodies, extra layers of keyboard notes and some symphonies. With an album this long, the artists can definitely throw a bit of everything in. From the first proper song "Eye Of The Storm" Celestial Decay tries to put its best foot forward with this catchy opener. For some reason during the chorus I want to launch into singing Edguy's "The Piper Never Dies" then moments later Black Majesty's "Guardian" but all three are good songs. Maybe those kind of catchy Power Metal songs all have things in common. At any rate, it was a promising start to the album.

A couple of decent-enough songs later and we come to the most odd track on the album. It's actually a cover of the pop music singer Rihanna's "Unfaithful" song. I thought "wait, this is going to be a bloke singing about how he's happy with another bloke and not his current one". The lyrics are modified I soon discovered to keep the heterosexuality of the track.

I could keep going on about the various songs on Contradictum, but I'd be running out of words. Some of them are half-minute interludes, some are ballads that slowly build up, others are heavier and faster melody-laden Power Metal songs. Overall though Contradictum is a pretty good Power Metal album without being a fantastic masterpiece. For those that look for bang for their buck, then they will find it with Celestial Decay's debut. Others might find it a bit overwhelming but there is at least some variety going on here. Worth keeping an eye on if you're running out of CD purchasing ideas. http://www.metalstorm.net/pub/review.php?review_id=8153

Angelo Mayer - vocals
Robert Bjärmyr - guitars
Hobbe Houshmand - guitars
Mattias Ryderman - bass
Henrik Hedman - drums
Håkan Olsson - keyboards