The Flashcards: Ishtar - Conquest (2011)

70/100

Genre: Symphonic/progressive power metal

The debut album from a South Korean band fronted by a female vocalist named Kim Binna. With her prominent soprano vocals, the album's orientation leans heavily toward operatic metal, giving off instant shades of Therion, Nightwish, and even the Indonesian band, Blodwen. The operatic atmosphere is further elevated by vocal vocalizations, found in tracks like "Navy Forest" and "Dolphin's Memory," which evoke a vibe similar to Nightwish's "Deep Silent Complete."

This might be a solid fit for die-hard symphonic metal fans, but I personally look for a bit more raw energy in the music. It was a bit difficult to feel that spark here, though as I write this commentary, some of it is starting to come through—particularly on "God Lives in Me," which features a riff reminiscent of Victorius's "The Awakening", and continues into "Dolphin's Memory" and "Prestige."

Well, it's a starting point and decent enough to be appreciated, especially considering they hail from a country completely dominated by K-Pop.

Link: Spotify

Tracklist:

1. Conquest

2. Wrath of Sun

3. Death and Rebirth

4. All of Us

5. Navy Forest

6. Penitence

7. God Lives in Me

8. Dolphin’s Memory

9. Waves of Tears

10. Prestige

11. Mater Natura

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