Band:	Taranis
Album:	Kingdom
Style:	Symphonic black metal, Progressive metal
Release date:	January 2012

01. Storm
02. Dominion
03. Glory
04. Origin

Taranis is a one-man project founded by Attila Bakos over 10 years ago. If that name doesn't mean anything to you, it's probably because you didn't bother checking out Thy Catafalque's Rengeteg or Róka Hasa Rádió - albums that benefit from the addition of his vocal talents. For those of you who enjoyed his melodious singing, you will be more than pleased with this release.

Kingdom is quite an ambitious mixture of progressive metal and symphonic black metal, highlighted by Bakos' emotional vocal delivery.

The music itself takes a bit of a backseat to his overwhelming power, but it's still worth mentioning. It's quite obvious early on that you aren't going to be in for a combination of genius, but the melancholic melodies and catchy riffs still have the ability to command your undivided attention. Averaging 10 minutes per song, you're in for a rather tumultuous journey if you weren't expecting such a grandiose undertaking, but the conclusion promises just reward for your efforts.

Which brings us to that reward. Bakos ensnares the listener from the beginning, careful to hold them in place while conveying everything on his mind in astonishing fashion, declaring his presence in a more-than-dramatic fashion. He breaks into more traditional black metal shrieks for added theatrics, which accompany the music perfectly. His passionate expression practically takes you by the hand and raises you from your seat, guiding you through the stupefying scenery the kingdom has to offer.

With this style of music, one is always left with an understandable hesitation. Is it too cheesy?

And the answer is... well, no. Not too cheesy. But there is definitely a lack of extremity surrounding this release that will turn off a great deal of elitists and casual listeners who simply don't like "epic" music and soaring clean vocals. Think Ihsahn or ICS Vortex with slightly more folk-inspired leanings and you'll know exactly what to expect.