Tales of Perdition - The Theatre of Existence Review
Tales of Perdition arrive with an operatic debut metal album that draws on Iron Maiden and Trivium, with shades of Green Lung and Battlesnake.
Theatre of Existence is a searing, balls-to-the-wall record that you can tell from the second you spin it is designed for the live experience. It is appropriately theatrical, combining thrash and symphonic metal with a sense of fun that brings to mind bands like Battlesnake. It feels like the culmination of a yearlong campaign of live shows and single releases, with the band remaining fully independent and working in-house, building a loyal fanbase that has followed them from venue to venue.
From the first track, ‘Hollow Crown’, influences of Iron Maiden and Trivium are felt as you’re propelled forward by a blistering drumbeat. The symphonic grandeur adds a touch of class before the album kicks into ‘Hold Down the Hunter’ with a fury that does not let up. It feels raw and primal, like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode, with the band exploring life on the edge: being on the ‘borderline of being about to lose your mind but holding in as much as possible’ until something breaks. The Trivium influence comes through in the intensity, alongside the grit of NWOBHM. ‘Tearing, snaring, ripping at the seams,’ the song confronts the demon inside, locked in a battle for control with no guarantee of coming out on top.
What follows is the triumphant, Maiden-laden swirl of ‘The Outer Pale’, which goes in all guns blazing. Its swelling orchestra captures the atmosphere of a Dungeons & Dragons session, while orchestral stabs add dramatic punctuation as the track moves along like a firecracker. It’s a contender for both the heaviest and the most traditional metal track on the album. The pairing of ‘Diary of the Paranoid’ and ‘Golden Child Returns’ sees the band drift into Green Lung territory. The haunting laugh that introduces ‘Diary of the Paranoid’ is appropriately chilling, before the vocals, backed by guitarists Matt Simpson and Andy Payne, address the need to do everything right: constantly double-checking and letting paranoia overwhelm you. ‘I’m getting paranoid,’ the song hurls, frantic and chaotic, its wailing sirens evoking an air raid.
The band builds on its philosophical themes with ‘Occam’s Razor’, turning towards the occult while tackling conspiracies and people’s beliefs. It’s thundering and operatic from the off, leading into final track ‘Blood of a Saint’, where the dual vocals make a particularly strong impression. Vocalist Alea Tripaldi and the backing vocals bring the album to an instantly memorable high that is sure to stay with the audience long after the final bow is done.