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MANIC MOVEMENT - DARK GLITTER
SHIVER RECORDS
METAL TO INFINITY
Out of Belgium comes a band named Manic Movement - formed by drummer / composer Olivier back in 1993, the band knew several years of sparkling success throughout Europe. With albums like ''Thousand Sufferings'' and ''Future Dreaming Self'', they can contemplated as a Belgian top-act that good knew how to persuade a real 'Metal devotee' of their musical talents. Unfortunately enough, their years of glory went astray to a dead end street. Silence stocked about the MM camp - a silence that lasted several years, as you can see now, they're back with a vengeance obviously.
After many years of inactivity, Manic Movement is back with a brand new, full length album entitled ''Dark Glitter'' released through Belgian Shiver Records. During the early years of existence, the line up consisted out of only male musicians - one by one armed with technical skills to the bone. Kinda brutal or aggressive but loaded with technical tactics all over. Now, something is clearly changed on the new album ''Dark Glitter''. The male, roaring vocal use are switched into fragile, crystal clear female vocal lines. From where change, I should not know a damn thing about - point is, this is a totally different Manic Movement I hear while listening to the new effort. Speaking of a resurfacing... you got it!
If I personally prefer their new style above the good old days, I have to say no fully convinced. Point is that MM will reach more fans playing this style out - a form of Metal for fans of The Gathering, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Penumbra,... you know what I mean, don't ya? Currently, there is a huge market for this genre and it will be not that simple keeping heads above water in a mainstream type of music like this. The competition nowadays is hard as knucklebones but my believe in the survival of Manic Movement is huge.
Their treatment of making songs is impressive - although this is not my style of music, they now how to make songs very attractive without boring moments within. Nice atmospheric movements, sometimes dark minded and especially awesome guitar works succeed to keep attention up high. Lead guitarist Fre plays like a real professional. I'm a fan of real 'shredding' axemen and yeah... within the MM ranks, this individual touches my sensitive string. Following the footsteps of world wide guitar magicians, he gives away a very great performance of pulling strings very technically. Check out the last song of the album entitled 'Maze Of Shadows' which is an instrumental composition that is so damn beautiful, it lifts you up to another space and time for sure - Awesome!
Newcomer Virginia's voice is definitely not that original, I heard this way of vocal use so many times - to be honest, after a few songs I have enough of it. In the vein of Anneke (The Gathering), Simone Simons (Epica), Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation) or Anette (Nightwish)... their fanbase is amazingly huge I guess - with all respect but I'm not interested in female singers from this calibre.
My final conclusion is that Manic Movement is back after years of deadly silence, their musical comeback can be considered as surprising / unexpected (at least for myself) but I have to admit that this is a final result of a band still in very good shape. Intended to follow a mainstream style of music obviously which is their own choice of course - without problems they can handle the competition between loads of other bands playing this style also. They will succeed, hopefully they will reach the top - as for me, I'd rather stay close with my own favourite forms of music such as Classic Heavy / Power / Thrash Metal and above all, US Metal in all its glory! Fans of atmospheric, melodic, European styled Metal music should better watch for Manic Movement at: http://www.manicmovement.be/website/index.php or via myspace right HERE. MY POINTS: 82 / 100