GLASYA: "Heaven's Demise"

Rating: Rr
Label: Pride&Joy 2019
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Glasya was founded by Hugo Esteves in 2016 with one main purpose: to become the new Ronaldo? or to create a musical project that would join full orchestral arrangements with metal. Esteves was already familiar with symphonic metal, but wanted to do it in a more dramatic and cinematographic way. Add to this, Bruno Ramos, former drummer of My Deception, Davon Van Dave, a Dutch-Portuguese keyboard player (Urban Tales and Shadowsphere), Bruno Prates and Manuel Pinto, former members of Enchantya. All have many different influences, from classic to progressive, creating a very stylish and distinctive sound which offers symphonic, ethnic, slow emotional songs and powerful metal riffs.

The leading star is however, Eduarda Soeiro, the front-woman of the band and clearly something out of the ordinary. The high-pitch vocals are high as a thousand kites and in the long run, the singing tend to get on your poor reviewers nerves. The former singer of the Portuguese Nightwish tribute band, Nightdream, and being a classical performer and trained singer, you should perhaps only try this at home if you fancy the mix of classical performances and the Nightwish-ish outbursts. Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy the odd high-pitch stuff... if they're as great (and quirky) as say, Kate Bush. Heaven's Demise on the other hand? Nah. It must be the accent and daytime TV drama that doesn't work on this particular platter? The songmaterial is darn right annoying and very much, been there, done that. Back to the drawing board and let's hope for better on their next recording.