Austria may not be overflowing with well-known heavy bands, but it regularly produces a handful of elite acts. And Serenity represents the land of Osterreich very admirably. According to the press release, the band took its name from the instrumental of the same name on British progressive band Arena's album "The Visitor." So, what do we have here? What we have is a magnificent example of progressive power metal. The excellent — if somewhat uniform throughout the album — vocals of Georg Neuhauser combine superbly with both the melodic guitars of Thomas Buchberger (with a little help in the form of two solos from Lanvall of Edenbridge) and the pleasant keyboard backing courtesy of Mario Hirzinger, who also handles backing vocals. Among somewhat kindred acts, one could name Kamelot (we find the same ease of perception and stunning melodicism of compositions) and Threshold (this applies more to Georg's vocals). Every composition elicits delight upon listening and is memorized instantly. Nearly any track could be recommended. The best track on the album, in my opinion, is "Reduced to Nothingness," which combines Georg's vocals, a chorus in the refrain, and a small dose of growling (courtesy of Magu Wenzel of Tristwood and Inzest), all set to an excellent melody — resulting in a very appealing cocktail. The verdict: a superb album, one of the best representatives of the style. Incidentally, it's already the third release from the Austrians — reason enough to seek out their previous works...
