The Flashcards: Almah - Almah (2006)

70+/100

Genre: progressive/power metal

Almah is a project spearheaded by one of the prominent figures in the power metal scene, Edu Falaschi, and this self-titled release marks their debut album. I listened to the digital version sourced from the 2007 AFM Records CD reissue, which features two bonus tracks.

Instrumentally, they are quite solid, drawing clear influence from giants like Dream Theater. This is evident even in the ballad "Forgotten Land," which mirrors the vibe of "Another Day" to my ears, followed by the anthemic rimshots on the subsequent track, "Scary Zone." Unfortunately, the first two opening tracks feature cheesy, repetitive power metal vocal deliveries that ultimately come across as cringe-inducing, failing to establish a strong hook. In fact, the interlude in "King" makes me think Edu Falaschi might actually be better off fronting a doom/stoner metal outfit instead, given how well the riffs fit that specific tempo and weight.

"Children of Lies," "Golden Empire," and "Supermind" at the back end of the tracklist—even if I'm not a big fan of the intrusive growled vocals that pop up after the second chorus—serve as the highest-energy moments on the record. What I appreciate most about those sections are the sonic shades of Vision Divine and Fates Warning, particularly on "Golden Empire." There are also two mid-tempo tracks: "Break All the Welds," which probably should have been kept as a short instrumental interlude rather than containing vocals given its brief two-minute runtime, and "The Sign of Glory," which offers a slightly epic, classic power metal comedown. Well, the rest of the album consists of additional ballads; the finest moments occur when a cinematic progressive rock atmosphere is introduced on "Breathe" and "Box of Illusion," whereas the title track, "Almah," would have also been better off left as a pure instrumental due to the acoustic show.

Ultimately, Almah leans more toward atmospheric world-building rather than the jagged, highly dynamic progressive shifts meant for erratic headbanging. Had there been a clearer conceptual thread and longer track lengths, I might have been able to appreciate this album much more.

Highlights: Children of Lies, Golden Empire, Breathe, Box of Illusion

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