COLDPLAY
Viva La Vida
(Parlophone/EMI)
9/10
The titans of soft rock are back with one hell of a record. Taking the ambient layering of 'X & Y' as the palette upon which 'Viva La Vida' is painted, the group have devised a rich and textured album. The new pieces feature more instrumental passages and are generally structured in a fresher and more interesting manner than most of the group's prior work. The usual attention to detail ensures that each of these songs still feels like a perfect creation. Brian Eno's influence as co-producer is clearly felt, and there is even a hint of the hip-hop influence that Chris Martin has been fostering for the last few years. This record comes across as more diverse, more mature and arguably more creative than any of Coldplay's other albums, and may actually be their best, as they themselves have suggested. Time will tell as to whether that statement feels right, but for the time being those who appreciate the flavour Coldplay deliver have much to enjoy here (Greg Reason).
IHSAHN
angL
(Candlelight/Modern Invasion)
8/10
Ihsahn's first solo album, 'The Adversary', while by no means a stinker, lacked direction and felt like a sonic dumping ground for all the ideas he hadn't been able to exercise under the Emperor moniker. 'angL' is tighter, more direct and goes straight for the jugular with 'Misanthrope', which features one of the most stomping riffs of Ihsahn's illustrious career. Then the prog elements kick in on 'Scarab', quickly reminding us that this is an Ihsahn solo album and not a new Emperor record - although the ripping solos are still very, very metal. Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt appears for a highly anticipated guest vocal appearance on 'Unhealer'. The phrasing for his clean vocal parts is slightly cluttered to begin with (he was probably too polite to suggest changes to the big guy in the black suit), but the song gains momentum when Akerfeldt's deep death growl trades blows with Ihsahn's icy rasp. 'Malediction' and 'Monolith', with their driving rhythms and grandiose orchestration', could have easily found a home on 'IX Equilibrium', but it's 'angL's more experimental compositions that are most interesting. 'Emancipation' is 'angL's 'Called By the Fire'. While not quite as catchy, it plays off like a black metal pop song filtered through a maze of jilted time changes. The harmonies on the string-laden 'Threnody' are another highlight, with Ihsahn's clean vocals coming across confident and colourful. The slightly tinny production could have done with more low-end but, overall, black metal's John Lennon
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