Ossuary Records, Poland 45mins

Mankind’s Odyssey | Aquilla (bandcamp.com)

https://aquilla.bandcamp.com/?fbclid=IwAR2YGuhos0br0pukYajJAsu4Aanhevxh-MQbaaHw6-7KE_M7Q5DRJUqoxYQ

https://www.facebook.com/AquillaOfficial

Rating 85/100

It certainly cannot be denied the positive impact Polish bands have had over the entire spectrum of rock music in recent years. Actually far too many great Polish bands to name but indeed Poland is, without doubt, an extremely fertile ground for the production of superbly considered hard rock, metal and progressive rock music. ‘Aquilla’, formed in Warsaw circa 2015, are one of the fairly recent bands to enter the heavy metal sphere with their full-length debut album  Mankind’s Odyssey. (Previously two EPs were Released)

Right on and almost from the opening bars of the first track ‘Arrival’ you are literally propelled headfirst into a turbocharged complexity of heavy riffing and counter harmonious lead guitar with well projected and varied vocal propagations. It is music of the highest calibre with multitudes of bold and magnificent time changes throughout, each of which is executed at breakneck speed. The lineup indicates a single vocalist but if the recording is anything to go by the production is either seriously overdubbed or there is some deft two-part harmonic accompaniment in progress (I like to think the latter). In fact, the quality of the vocal projection is first class throughout. One thing that defiantly stands out is the huge variety of instrumental paths that the music on each track takes, thus resulting in ten fairly unique and absolutely stand out tracks. Such uniqueness is to be really applauded, seeing that with the instrumental side, the resultant sections are mostly executed at such an unbelievable pace. the art of achieving the degree of variety actually accomplished here is quite remarkable. Without a doubt, the impetus and energetic driving force behind the entire affair is the breathtaking drumming executed with extraordinary flair and skill directing the music ever forward. Also, the dual guitar lineup together creates a dense action-packed and totally exciting rhythmical wall of sound with alternate lead exchanges together with, although not listed, additional swathes of background keyboard washes adding patches of colour to the proceedings. The lineup is proficiently completed with oodles of neat bass lines.

Heavy metal bands of this nature often struggle with the vocal aspects but here with Aquilla they have a very formable frontman who not only has a superb voice but is also blessed with an incredibly wide vocal range and also too possessing wonderful intonation throughout, both for the intensely powerful and even the more temperate sections of the score.

If the album is anything to go by these guys would be great fun to see live as they really do produce excellent music with a great space orientated theme.

Tracks:

Echoes of the Past
Arrival
Pathfinder
Scarlet Skies
The Awakening
Rapt In Darkness
Intersection
Saviours of The Universe
New Dawn Of Evadera
Zero (2021)

Personnel

Blash Raven – Vocals
Kris Invader – Guitars
Chris Scanner – Guitars
Hippie Banzai – Bass
Pete Slammer – Drums