KARDINAL SIN
KARDINAL SIN – “S.A.L.I.G.I.A”
By Iron Sheik
Right out of the gate in opening track of “S.A.L.I.G.I.A”., “They Crashed The Storm”, the second single to be released, I am hearing Andi Deris of HELLOWEEN in KARDINAL SIN's lead singer Daniel "Danne" Wikerman's voice. It's not a constant, but every so often the similarity pops up throughout the album. It adds an air of familiarity to the album albeit the music is more in a symphonic metal vein than HELLOWEEN's power metal. It all gels into a majestic melodic symphonic-tinged power metal juggernaut. Boring is not a word that is at all a way to describe the musical and lyrical content of the album. Intelligent and catchy are best in describing KARDINAL SIN's content on “S.A.L.I.G.I.A”.
KARDINAL SIN released “Siege Of Jerusalem” as the first single from “S.A.L.I.G.I.A”. It is a song about the events that happened therein in the year 1099. A song about a conflict from a different angle than “They Crashed The Storm”. It's a lesson in history about the King Salahadin's legions and the Knights Templar vs "Storms" tale of separation of loved ones with someone fighting a cause not understood. Both songs give the listener a good idea of the rest of the album is about.
War, history, brutality, armageddon, judgement, and the seven deadly sins are just a few of the topics sung about on KARDINAL SIN's “S.A.L.I.G.I.A”. Doom, death, and devastation make for fertile ground to question whether one is a saint or a sinner. Questioning one's status amid the seven deadly sins comes in the title track. A very symphonic leaning track. It's a rather heavy topic but is a great stand out track. Furthermore, the three part “Wasteland Symphony” tells of the masters of destruction. It is told in track 2, The Beginning Of The End which incorporates bagpipe sounding keyboards in a brief interlude during the song, continues in track 4, “Lost Imperium” with it's eerie atmospherics, and concludes in the last track track 10, “The Aftermath”. The vocals on this last track really bring out Danne Wikeman’s similarities to Andi Deris.
“S.A.L.I.G.I.A.” is a solid release. It starts out on a faster note than as it continues on, but it all rocks none-the-less. At moments some of the keyboard work sounds like circus music that detracts somewhat from the overall tone of the songs. That aside, the music is topnotch throughout. Familiar but fresh and enough of their own style makes one able to distinguish KARDINAL SIN from the rest of the groups in the melodic symphonic-tinged power metal genre. A definite standout and rocking album.