GLASYA – Heaven’s Demise (Album Review)

With my interest in Symphonic Metal, I was asked to review this new band from Lisboa, Portugal on Pride & Joy Music record label.

Currently, there is no website for Glasya, but thankfully all their information is on Facebook and the record label’s website.

Taken from the official facebook page:

Glasya, a Symphonic Metal band featuring 6 members that have a variety of influences and styles in their backgrounds, originated a sound with a wide range, from Classic to Ethnic to the more powerful metal riffs. The project took off composition and pre-production of the original songs while achieving the stability of the current Line-up. In 2018, Glasya showed themselves to the audience with their single “Heaven’s Demise”. A single to be featured in a soon to be released full-length album.”

Taken from the Pride & Joy Music website:

Glasya was founded by Hugo Esteves in 2016 with one main purpose. To create a musical project that would combine full orchestral arrangements with metal. He was already familiar with symphonic metal, but he wanted to do it in a more dramatic and cinematographic way. So later that year, Hugo invited Bruno Ramos, former drummer of My Deception, and they started writing together.

They needed to integrate the symphonic elements, so Hugo contacted Davon Van Dave, a Dutch-Portuguese keyboard player, who had been member of two well-known Portuguese bands, Urban Tales and Shadowsphere, that toured with bands like To/Die/ForBeseechRotting Christ. With their albums being at the top of the metal charts in Portugal, was the ideal person to reach out for.

With Davon Van Dave on board, the next step was to find the right voice. They heard about a Portuguese Nightwish tribute band, Nightdream. After listening to their singer’s voice and seeing her performance they immediately invited her: Eduarda Soeiro, being a classical performer and trained singer, right away became the face and voice of Glasya.

The band line-up was finally complete when Bruno Prates (bass) and Manuel Pinto (guitar), former members of Enchantya, both being talented musicians and experienced performers, came on board.

Glasya - Heaven's DemiseWith all the members having different influences, from classic to progressive, they were creating a very stylish and distinctive sound which offers symphonic, ethnic, slow emotional songs and powerful metal riffs, of course.

In 2018 the band released the song “Heaven’s Demise” to the world in advance. It made quite a buzz among the press, creating great expectations on their upcoming debut album.

Later that year, at The Pentagon Audio Manufacturers StudiosGlasya started to record the album with Fernando Matias, who is a member of Sinistro and has worked with bands like MoonspellBizarra LocomotivaGwydion. The upcoming album Heaven’s Demise features four guests. The voices of Paulo Gonçalves (Rasgo), Flávio Lino (Deadlyforce and “The Voice” Portugal show contestant), Nélson Raposo (a film and series voice-over professional), and the beautiful violin of Inna Calori.

This year, Glasya releases their debut album through Pride & Joy Music and are scheduling their tour to play the main metal festivals.

For fans of: Sirenia, Delain, Xandria, Kobra & the Lotus and more”

GLASYA – Heaven’s Demise (Album Review)

Glasya - Heaven's DemiseWhen asked to review Glasya I checked them out online to find any videos that were released. Finding the debut song and title track “Heaven’s Demise” I was instantly intrigued to learn more about them. First influences that came to my mind are 3 bands that I am a big fan of, Sirenia, Nightwish, and Xandria.

Soeiro’s voice is very powerful with her operatic range. When I finally got the album, I cranked it up right away. It starts off with the title track which I was familiar with from the video. The track flows into the second song “Ignis Sanctus”. Which continues with the musical adventure Glasya brings to the Symphonic Metal genre.

Track after track I continue this musical journey to find new symphonic pieces. “Coronation of a Beggar” gives us a more melodic touch to Glasya’s symphonic style. The track “Glasya is a duet which brings a Nightwish sound. An Absolute delight in this genre of music I so love.

Eternal Winter” gives us a little taste of the rough male vocals that the album has to offer.

Birth of an Angel” slows the pace down to a beautiful ballad showing how Soeiro is far from being only an operatic vocalist.

The Last Dying Sun”, at 5:40 in length, Glasya brings to the world of Symphonic Metal many stylistic textures in this track. A real jewel to listen to!

Tracks “Neverland” and “No Exit From Myself” continue our musical quest of Glasya’s debut album. Incredible talent from a vocalist and the musicians of Glasya. I feel the world will soon discover this ensemble in the realm of symphonic music.

Heaven’s Demise closes out with the instrumental arrangement “A Thought of You”. A very relaxing song that brings us closure to an album that needs playing again.

The band is booking dates for a tour which I look forward to seeing some live footage.

ShawnAnimalizeIrwin

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