Scardust – Souls
Scardust – Souls
Frontiers Music s.r.l
Release Date: 18/ 07/25
Review by Beth Morait
9.5/10
I have eclectic tastes in music. Genres don’t matter – if I like it, I like it. But, I do have a particular penchant for Musical Theatre. I was brought up on musicals, and in them. My dad used to play in pit orchestras, and as a very young girl I used to sit in the pit with him, and gaze in absolute joy at the wonderful, magical things happening on the stage, all set to amazing music. It was absolutely my happiest place as a 4-year-old. It’s what started my love of music, and acting, and led me to perform in many musicals over the years.
So, when a band comes along and chucks as many Musical Theatre tropes as possible into a Metal album, you can bet good money I’ll be all over it like a rash! And that’s exactly what Israeli Progressive Symphonic Metal band, Scardust do. I had the pleasure of reviewing their last album, “Strangers” back in the dark days of 2020, and it made it to number one in my album of the year review for that year, so much was its impact on me. Now, they’re back with their new album, “Souls”, and it’s gone all out Musical Theatre/ Metal Opera, right down to the twiddly bits of interlude music that you get during a set change on stage. It’s giving me Les Misérables vibes, and that is without question my favourite musical of all time, so shut up and take my money! I’m in!
Opening with ‘Long Forgotten Song’, we instantly get the overture chorus from Frontwoman Noa Gurman’s own choir, Hellscore, which sets the scene for this dramatic theatrical rampage. Musically, it even sounds like it’s been shot as a live recording in a proper theatre, with a pit orchestra. That leads into ‘My Haven’, which was released as a single last year, and explores the concept of finding a safe space. In this track, we get to experience the full extent of Noa’s vocal range, which is frankly incredible. And we get an epic Bass solo from Bassist Orr Didi, who I’m convinced is actually a wizard!
‘RIP’ is an angry track, full of spikey riffs and juggernaut drums. We also get Noa’s growls, which sound like some sort of demonic possession. This is the most challenging track on the album as for as musicality goes, with sporadic time signatures, and staccato elements, that make good use of silence as an instrument within the calamity.
At the end of 2024 that band released a single journeying through the songs Disney Princesses, but metal. And that’s really the feel that this whole album gives me. Like a live Disney stage show, but with a badass Metal princess. Track 5, ‘Unreachable’ is absolutely a Disney anthem, featuring TLV Orchestra. It’s full of child-like innocent wonder, that just makes me smile.
And TLV Orchestra aren’t the only guests to appear on this album. German Rock Violinist, Ally Storch appears in ‘Searing Echoes’, and Haken frontman, Ross Jennings features on two of the three parts of the closing opus, ‘Touch Of Life’.
This whole album is simply a wonderful piece of Musical Theatre, that I would really love to see a stage show of. Scardust, if you fancy turning this into an actual musical, I’d absolutely want to be there. I can picture it now: In a grand theatre, TLV orchestra in the pit, Hellscore starting the overture on rostrum at the back of the stage, in shadow. Noa, centre stage, lit with a single follow spot. Dry ice sitting low level as the curtains open. Beautiful, intricately and delicately hand painted set flats. Stagehands waiting eagerly in the wings, poised for the first set change.
This is definitely a niche listen, and potentially a bit like Marmite – you’ll either love it, or despise it. There’s no middle ground. And if you don’t like Musical Theatre I don’t think it’ll be for you. It didn’t affect me as deeply as the last album did, but it is nevertheless, a near perfect album! Scardust are, without question, one of the most proficient groups of musicians anywhere in the scene right now, and there is nothing else like them. Give it a listen and prepare to be blown away.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Long Forgotten Song
02. My Haven
03. RIP
04. Dazzling Darkness
05. Unreachable (feat. TLV Orchestra)
06. End Of The World
07. Searing Echoes (feat. Ally Storch)
08. Touch Of Life I – In Your Eyes (feat. Ross Jennings)
09. Touch Of Life II – Dance Of Creation
10. Touch Of Life III – King Of Insanity (feat. Ross Jennings)
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Morait and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
