OPEN ACCESS - Over a Mountain Peak review

 OPEN ACCESS - Over a Mountain Peak

Independent

https://www.facebook.com/openaccessband/timeline

OPEN ACCESS is the kind of a band name that can’t give you a clear hint of the musical genre that the band plays. Probably you can imagine that they belong to the progressive or even to thrash metal genre, but believe me you are wrong. OPEN ACCESS is a band formed in Poland in 2013 and musically they move on the folk metal genre. Their first work is this EP which was released in May 2015 and has the title “Over a Mountain Peak”; A proper name for a folk metal release.

THE COVER: The cover is a picture of a beautiful scenery. Actually it is the kind of scenery that you can watch from a mountain’s peak. It is a valley surrounded by mountains dressed in green and in the center you can see a river running. It is a breathtaking picture that passes to you the majesty and beauty of nature. I think that these are the elements that the band wants to pass with its sound.

MUSICAL STYLE: As I have mentioned above OPEN ACCESS play folk metal. This means that the lead melodies are played mostly by the violin, but also the other instruments play a major role by providing heavy riffs and a steady rhythm section. Also the band is female fronted and the voice of Marta Muszynka (singer of the band) gives an atmospheric touch to the whole release. Actually there were times that she reminded me of Maja Konarskathe the singer of the Polish band MOONLIGHT (they belong to the atmospheric metal genre). The band has personality, but I can’t avoid mentioning that there were times they reminded me of bands like SKYCLAD and early ELVENKING.  

CONCLUSION: In this first effort OPEN ACCESS show us a talented band that works on a professional level that can actually create some very good folk melodies that are entwined with traditional heavy and power metal tunes. I think that the fans of folk metal will find here an interesting new band.

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis