Anytime a band loses a lead singer the future can look pretty grim; however, when that band is Kamelot and they lose a lead singer like Roy Khan, the future would seem almost nonexistent. And while the musicianship of Kamelot has always been of the first order, Khan's voice was undoubtedly the band's signature. Indeed, he had a set of pipes that would make both Michael Bolton and Pavarotti respectively cry and crap their pants. Regardless, this was the reality for the symphonic metal band after their Gothic 2010 release Poetry for the Poisoned, and fans were concerned to say the least. But what's more surprising than Khan's sudden departure is the band's swift return a mere two years later with a new lead singer on the 2012 album Silverthorn. And while some might have thought the replacement of Khan would be a futile task, the results are actually astonishing as Silverthorn displays a renewed sense of purpose within the band, making it Kamelot's album best offering since their 2005 masterpiece The Black Halo.
Of course, much of Silverthorn's success must be credited to Khan's replacement, Tommy Karevik. Despite having massive shoes to fill, Karevik's performance surpasses all expectations. No only does he master the dynamic vocal acrobatics of his predecessor, but he also adds a touch of grit that Khan never seemed to provide (or want to). This is a nice little trick in that Karevik effectively compensates for Khan without aping him, which is a massive task. But then there's the rest of the band, who have turned out their finest set of songs since Halo. Gone are the mismanaged Gothic tones that inhibited Poetry, and absent is the repetitive filler that wounded Ghost Opera (2007). Instead, the band has flexed its signature epic symphonic muscles, expanding upon orchestrations and giving much more creative freedom to Kamelot keyboardist Oliver Palotai. In "Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)" guitar and keyboard battle it out in the solo arena, while Amaranthe's Elize Ryd duets with Karevik for an instant classic. Elsewhere, the band thunders on "Solitaire" and readily shifts dynamics on "Ashes to Ashes," only to take it down a notch for the powerful "Falling Like the Fahrenheit" or the elegant "Song for Jolee." It's quite the memorable set, which is a relief considering that Kamelot's past two albums tended to sort of miss the mark.
In the end, Silverthorn proves that what doesn't kill you can make you stronger. Khan certainly brought a distinction to Kamelot's sound and he will be missed, but he wasn't the end all be all of the band. Karevik has provided an exciting new chapter for the band as well as one of their finest albums, and the future looks bright. Hopefully the next round of surprises for the band will be only good ones.
- McS
