METALITE

Formed just over a decade ago in Stockholm, Sweden, METALITE have crammed a lot into their story so far. A modernizing force in power and symphonic metal, they have released three studio albums that have all helped to firmly established them as a potent proposition, and one with a potentially glittering future.

Since recruiting vocalist Erica Ohlsson for 2019's sophomore effort "Biomechanicals", METALITE have displayed a strong grasp of what it takes to stand out in a crowded marketplace. You certainly can't fault their ambition: their fourth full-length, "Expedition One" is very clearly a record that deserves to propel the Swedes toward greater prominence. Effectively a double album, this is a dazzling, 67-minute exercise in ecstatic, futuristic power metal, with refined pop sensibilities and just enough imagination to sidestep obvious clichés.

If you want shiny pop-metal bangers, "Expedition One" is full of them. Admittedly, founding guitarist Edwin Premberg is equally committed to heaviness and grandeur, but it is Ohlsson's razor-sharp melodies and the sheer, pristine sparkle of METALITE's overall sound that makes this such an enjoyable hour. A tangible kinship with the likes of AMARANTHE, BEYOND THE BLACK and WITHIN TEMPTATION puts these songs on the forward-thinking wing of the melodic metal realm, but in many ways METALITE are more direct and more unapologetically metal than their obvious peers. The title track sums up their approach: a fat-free four minutes, with a vast chorus, lush AOR chord changes and vocal harmonies, and stuttering electronics that summon the specter of EDM without becoming beholden to it. Similarly, recent single "Aurora" is epic, high-spec power metal, possessed by the spirit of '80s hard rock and yet located squarely at modern metal's cutting edge, at least sonically.

As is the way these days, six singles have been released from "Expedition One", in anticipation of the whole, sumptuous splurge. Each one of them is a laser-targeted anthem, with "Blazing Skies" and "Outer Worlds" standing out as the pick of the bunch. The former dives deeper into spiraling trance synths, but the song itself is happy to follow a traditional pattern, with a boldly uplifting chorus and a near-chewable sense of urgency; the latter hinges on a muscular, rolling groove, with Ohlsson's vocal athletics placed at the heart of a sci-fi SABBATH storm of riffs. Perhaps the most effective blend of old- and new-school thinking occurs on "Legendary", wherein METALITE's technological instincts run wild alongside dark-edged pop melody and some undiluted power metal theatrics. The closer, "Hurricane", is similarly sophisticated, and ABBA-catchy, too: a neat encapsulation of this band's intelligent mixing of modern metal strains and classic melodic tropes.

With no discernible filler, "Expedition One" is a very complete and convincing piece of work. If there is a criticism to be levelled here, it is that 16 songs and 67 minutes may be too large for a single serving of music this upbeat and texturally flawless. But then again, "Expedition One" might be exactly the overwhelming dose of metal joy that people need.