AMASEFFER

A much-anticipated follow-up to one of the most ambitious prog metal albums of the 2000s, "When The Lions Leave Their Den" is almost unbearably sumptuous and rich in color. AMASEFFER hail from Tel Aviv, Israel, and like their fellow countrymen ORPHANED LAND, they make music that transcends the turbulence of the contemporary Middle East. Released in 2008, "Exodus: Slaves For Life" was a vivid and adventurous concept piece recounting the fine, narrative details of the second book of the Old Testament. Mercifully free of religious dogma but both passionately expressed and heavy with metaphor and symbolism, its elaborate, melodically dense tracks approached the act of storytelling with utmost seriousness and with a liberated, profoundly progressive musical ideology writ large over every atmospheric note. 18 years on, AMASEFFER have finally conjured the next part of the story, and the inherent beauty and meticulous elegance of the band's music remains undimmed and, impressively, even more of an overwhelming sensory experience than it was first time around.

Creative mastermind (and drummer/narrator) Erez Yohanan has assembled a formidable team of musicians and singers — most notably, vocalists Lukky Sparxxx and Jessica Mercy, who take the most significant roles — and created a deeply cinematic and evocative journey through arcane, sandblasted events and startling, mystical revelations, as the Hebrews leave Egypt and begin their journey towards the Promised Land, with the epically bearded Moses leading the charge. Whether you subscribe to the veracity of this tale or not, there is no doubting that AMASEFFER's ambition is perfectly suited to the enormity of the subject matter, and Yohanan's extraordinary musical vision unfolds with all the boldness and textural magic that such a huge undertaking demands.

The opening title track is a towering colossus in itself: nine minutes of dazzling, widescreen heaviness and folk-tinged flamboyance, adorned with gorgeous, near-operatic vocals and endlessly subtle instrumentation, its twists and turns are executed with refined skill and vast emotional heft. As with the first album, AMASEFFER weave together familiar, progressive metal tropes with so many unusual and exotic elements that "When The Lions Leave Their Den" is immediately immersive, drawing the listener in with sheer audacity and verve. By the time "Foothills Of Mount Sinai" reaches its glorious conclusion, 70 minutes later, a huge amount of musical information has passed through this band's kaleidoscopic prism. In between, AMASEFFER drift seamlessly from the brooding riffs and symphonic bluster of "A Flame Unbidden" and "Stardust Harvesters", to the staggering, theatrical sweep of album centerpiece "Pathway To The Promised Land", on to the impossibly delicate and charming "Miriam" and the explosive, pristine aggression and melodic pomp of the epic "Valley Of The Standing Sun and Moon", each milestone along this expansive narrative gleaming with soulful significance and an admirable attention to detail that is nothing short of miraculous. No wonder it took 18 years to complete.

The second part of a planned trilogy, "When The Lions Leave Their Den" is a remarkable achievement and a fiercely contemporary prog metal album with more heart and soul than most like-minded artists could even contemplate. We can only hope that part three is a little quicker along the production line.