Band:	Leviathan (GER)
Album:	Beyond The Gates Of Imagination Pt. I
Style:	Melodic death metal, Progressive death metal
Release date:	September 2011

01. Prologue

Act I - Conduct
02. Beneath A Blackened Sky
03. Where Light And Death Unite
04. Reaper's Edict

Act II - Essence
05. Servants Of The Nonexistent
06. The Scourge We Wield

Act III - Ambition
07. About Fangs And Feathers
08. Sway Of The Stars

Here's a little introduction:

No other melodic death metal band deserved more attention last year on my desk than the German Leviathan (GER). Young and fresh faces, coming with one EP and then with their first full-length released in 2011, hearing the music you have absolutely no doubts that these guys will become something bigger in the following years - if they have the chance to get recognition.

Imagine some Ensiferum vein mixed up with background symphonies and "northern originating" (Kalmah-like) guitar melodies: basically that's Leviathan (GER). But somehow it differs from almost everything that has been heard before, maybe the atmosphere, maybe the little progressive shot towards bands like Disillusion (mentioned on purpose), or maybe just because they're German and not Scandinavian. The only element in the music that can be classified as brutal is the vocalist's growling: it's really the harsh-type, other than that it's more melodic than death metal.

There is a small contrast between the songs though: some of them are adventurous, slightly ecstatic and passionate works, where they actually created something "new" (what's new nowadays, huh?) and amazing (for example "A Scourge We Wield"), while the rest can be classified as "regular" melodic death. I wonder what direction they want to follow with the next release.

Whether they will continue this way or break the cage and spend time making more imposing songs in the future, this band is worth to look after.