ALBUM REVIEW: Elvellon - Ascending in Synergy

Symphonic metal. It’s a genre that many sniff at. Over the top and overblown, with the dramatic elements that synch with Eurovision and musicals. But dig below the

surface, and you’ll find a multitude of, admittedly mainly European bands, who provide a huge range of uplifting songs, delivered with a quality of which many of their more extreme relatives can only dream about. 

Germans Elvellon are well into their career, having formed in 2010 and released their first album Until Dawn back in 2018. Now signed to Napalm Records, this is an outfit who are apparently making a few waves in the scene. Now, it’s a scene that rarely even ripples in the UK, but they have some clout, with over a million views for their song Born from Hope and double that number of streams on Spotify for the same song. Ascending in Synergy sounds like the kind of management buzz words that I despise but which have been prevalent in far too many meetings I’ve had the displeasure of attending over the past decade. It couldn’t be much more irritating if it was called ‘thinking outside of the box’. 

But, having moved on past the album title, what lies beneath is ten tracks of dynamic, soaring symphonic metal led by the Nele Messerschmidt whose range is on a par with the top level of singers in this field. The flowing orchestral arrangements work on every level, from the opening song Unbound with its vibrant drama, to the cinematic The Aftermath of Life which flows with a dynamic and organic style. 

Elvellon - photo credit Paul Epp

Last of Our Kind takes a darker turn, dripping with emotion and atmosphere, proving once more that if you do it well, then symphonic metal can pull at the heart strings as well as anything else. The combination of piano, synths, orchestral movements alongside the heavier riffs and drums works majestically, whilst the vocals are the icing on the cake. On most albums there lurks what could be called the ‘epic’ track, and Ascending in Synergy is no different. The nine-minute The Aeon Tree once again casts a cinematic light with its expansive approach, Nele’s stunning vocals and the stripped back nature of the track adding to the song. Yes, it’s not a heavy track, as is the case with several of the numbers here, but there is plenty to enjoy regardless. 

Embrace the delicious melodies and you’ll find Elvellon are one of the better bands within this saturated genre. Whether they can push their way up the ranks is debatable, but if you enjoy polished symphonic metal, then Ascending in Synergy is one for you to consider.

Ascending in Synergy is released on 17th May

Review by Hutch