Cinematic, Intriguing and Stunning

After Lapse’s newest album Face The Storm is a riveting soundtrack full of a wide variety of musical styles and instruments. The album opens with the song “Thrive” which entices the audience with its many different styles including rock, electronic and orchestral. The song sounds like it is meant for a film with its cinematic undertones. “Thrive” is solely an instrumental piece with the listener not hearing the singer’s voice until the following track. Another interesting aspect of “Thrive” is its use of choral music. The appearance of the choir in the song is both surprising and intriguing.

Rubén Miranda possesses an extensive vocal range which he displays with frequent high notes throughout each song. He also shows an impressive amount of control of his belting technique. His voice seems to easily glide up to the higher notes of the songs yet do not overpower the music itself. The notes are crisp and clear and Miranda manages to make each word sound heartfelt and emotional.

Though the album overall has a dark sound, it also has feel good tones thoughtfully placed throughout each song. This album contains strong vibes of both sci-fi and apocalypse films; it is reminiscent of the music used in The Matrix and Inception. The mixture of both hard rock and orchestral styles is what gives this soundtrack its seemingly dark film aesthetic.

The instrumentation of this particular album is extremely imaginative. There is a clear use of styles such as rock, electronic, orchestral and choral. We hear instruments such as the Spanish guitar which appears in “The Lie”, what sounds like a cello lament in “Along The Way”, and even a harpsichord in “Facta Non Verba.” There are also some unexpected dissonant chord progressions which keep the music interesting. Additionally, the album contains reminisces gothic music style especially when the piano appears.

Face The Storm is undoubtedly a stunning album that is bound to interest many fans of a variety of styles with its incorporation of so many different sounds. The album is full of lengthy guitar solos as well as powerful instrumental breaks. It has something for everyone and is sure to enthrall audiences with its catchy melodies, driving beats, powerful vocals and exciting musical styles.