| Musical Style: Metal/Hard Rock | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Indepedent | Country Of Origin: USA & New Zealand |
| Year Released: 2018 | Artist Website: Evans & Stokes |
| Tracks: 11 | Rating: 80% |
| Running Time: 39:00 |
Evans & Stokes is jumping into new territory with the spring of 2018 independent release of its sophomore album Valley Of The Kings. The multi national act, consisting of American guitarist, bassist and keyboardist John Evans and New Zealand based vocalist Jenny Stokes, sidesteps the Gothic influenced sounds of its 85% reviewed 2017 debut Beyond The Gates (also independent) in favor of a straightforward metal and hard rock bearing with occasional leanings towards the thrash side of things. If Beyond The Gates presents with the darker, melancholic and at times more progressive landscape, Valley Of The Kings contrasts with a rawer, stripped down and overall heavier climate in which much of the previous progressive semblances play a corresponding reduced role.
What has not changed, however, is the Evans & Stokes bent towards concept based lyrical themes. Beyond The Gates, for instance, focused its prose around a lost soul enslaved to addiction that in the end finds redemption. Valley Of The Kings draws upon a historical concept in detailing the rise and fall of the female Pharaoh Hatshepsut, who came to power in the 15th century BC. Further details from the groups press material:
“Our purpose in writing this story was to celebrate the strength of this historic woman. In the face of strong opposition and a male dominated culture, Hatshepsut took what should have been rightfully hers by birth, the Kingship of Upper and Lower Egypt. While in power, she did what her predecessors could not- she brought peace and prosperity.
“Another intriguing facet of the story was how her successor(s) defaced all public images that showed Hatshepsut as King. In effect, this action erased her leadership from history (until her tomb was uncovered in 1903). We couldn’t help but wonder what effect her story may have had on subsequent generations. Would here strength of character have been something for other women to aspire to? Would the struggle, over the centuries, for women’s rights as we know it, have been different somehow?”
Similar to other conceptual releases, Valley Of The Kings is home to its share of narration and shorter ‘interlude’ pieces that serve to bridge the gap between individual songs and help tie the storyline together. Opener “Relict” is one such cut as it opens to narration that provides the backdrop for the concept in question:
Hatshepsut lived in the 15th Century B.C.
At age 12, she was married to her half brother Thutmose II.
Upon his death, she became Regent to his infant son, a child of a lesser wife.
But Hatshepsut was destined for greater things.
In a man's world, she would become King.
Songs remaining duration is instrumental as driving guitars plunder over a rumbling drumbeat.
Albums first full-length vocal cut follows in “Pharaoh”. The song plays up a light thrash mien in which aggression and tempo elevate exponentially but not to the point of forsaking melody, with the gist Milano, Italy based former Megadeth tribute band Boarders coming to mind either way. Vocally, I described Stokes in my Beyond The Gates review as taking a darker if not more lower register approach in comparison to some female vocalists, and while the same applies to Valley Of The Kings, she reaches down on “Pharaoh” and lends and a fitting extreme feel to her delivery. The cool fade out bass solo at the end helps rank this among my albums choice cuts.
Ensuing cut “Spellbinder” is also top of the line. Starting slowly to quietly played guitar and keyboards, “Spellbinder” abruptly takes off to a storm of momentum in maintaining a technical metal air in combining galloping riff driven verse sections with a catchy chorus to find the songs title whispered in ominous fashion. With the exception of a few brief seconds of extreme vocals at the midpoint, Stokes sings in her signature clean but opaque style.
Two minute instrumental “Bloodless” proceeds its distance drifting between delicate moments upheld acoustically and others in which staunchly done rhythm guitars assert themselves. Evans does a nice job revealing both the lighter and heavier sides to playing.
“Slave” follows as a no-frills and too-the point metal-based cut. It moves its distance at a dogged mid-tempo clip, uplifted from its commanding drum presence and distorted bass underpinnings but sidestepping repetition with its emphasis on understated but stark melody. This one, as a result, stands alongside several cuts here that require several listens to grow on you.
The Evans & Stokes attempt at ballad territory, “Behind The Veil” is nicely done as acoustic guitars assert front to back in intermingling with periodic appearances of more decided rhythm guitars. Distinct melody and distant falsettos, noting albums finest performance from Stokes, hearken back to the melancholic sounds to Beyond The Gates. Lone misgiving is how it feels a bit short as a ballad at just three-minutes.
“Valley Of The King” opens to foreboding keyboards that transition to crushing guitars and reverberant drums of a thrash like form. Moving forward, the song represents four stout minutes of straight on metal to feature intricate riffing, melodic harmonies and powerful refrain that has doom-like written all over it.
Second instrumental “Ankh” ups energy levels in maintaining the harmony emphasis as Evans applies his intense soloing throughout.
“Afterlife” makes diversity its focal point. Subsequent to an open-air guitar opening, the song drifts ahead in acoustic form – calm, lucid and warmly inviting – only to give way at periodic junctures to outbursts of earnest rhythm guitar, as impetus mounts accordingly. This one fills out a bit better as a ballad, in comparison to “Behind The Veil”, in coming in at four minutes.
“God Of The Underworld” rates with the Valley Of The Kings heaviest. Impertinent and combative is the feel from the get go, with its first minute instrumentally driven by riffs hearkening back to old school Deliverance and subsequent two to feature a trade off between guttural narration and vocals of a smoother capacity. Yes, a bit short at three minutes but one cannot deny the pointed focus and channeled energy.
Evans & Stokes revisits its progressive ways on six minute closing cut “Erased”. First four come across moody and haunting as piano and orchestration lead the way with light acoustic facets – a classic ballad is the first thought to come to mind – but an abrupt transition is made over the final heavier rocking two as rhythm guitars step in to bring things to their emotional conclusion.
Strong production values reinforce a marked rhythm guitar presence but also allow room for acoustic sentiments and a clear-cut mix of bass and drums to match. In terms of packaging, the Egyptian Pharaoh skull-cover art fits the albums theme, although I wish instead of a single page insert, a mini booklet had been included with lyrics and detailed liner notes.
I always have maintained a strong affinity for concept albums, particularly those that are history related, noting how one of my favorites is the Battle of Hastings themed Hastings 1066 of Italian power metal band Thy Majestie. Bonus points, obviously, to Evans & Stokes in this regard in that Valley Of The Kings is right down my alley, even though I was previously unaware of Hatshepsut despite the fact I am fairly well versed in ancient history.
Also commend Evans & Stokes for shedding its Gothic skin in that it could easily have recorded Beyond The Gates II and not missed a beat. Rather, it stretches and expands upon its musical repertoire in recording what amounts an unmitigated metal and hard rock release, albeit not without occasionally hearkening back to the melancholic form of Beyond The Gates. If we are going to tally bonus points, then all the more so in light of the occasionally thrash influence imbuing Valley Of The Kings, noting how it can go from bone-crushing heavy to lightly acoustic and back again at a moments notice.
That said and perhaps it is due to said aggression - and accept this as neutral observation - but I found the Valley Of The Kings material to take several listens to fully grow into, at least in comparison to Beyond The Gates. Otherwise, constructive commentary revolves around how perhaps several of the shorter cuts in the three minute range could have been fleshed out and developed a bit more, while it would also have been interesting to hear some Middle Eastern musical nuances mixed in, at least in light of the subject at hand. Still, on Valley Of The Kings the John Evans and Jenny Stokes due continue to perform up to standard and set the stage for what I hope are many releases to follow.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Relict” (2:54), “Pharaoh” (4:13), “Spellbinder” (3:23), “Bloodless” (2:01), “Slave” (3:36), “Behind The Veil” (3:08), “Valley Of The King” (3:57), “Ankh” (1:42), “Afterlife” (4:14), “God Of The Underworld” (3:15), “Erased” (6:35)
Musicians
Jenny Stokes - Lead Vocals
John Evans - Guitars, Bass & Keyboards
