SECRET
SPHERE – Archetype
Marquee Avalon Records
When I first presented Heart & Anger back in 2005,
what struck me about Secret Sphere was their ability to balance traditional
power metal with the more pompous, symphonic elements of their sound. It was a
release that stood out for its quality and sense of purpose. Archetype clearly
attempts to revisit that formula, and to a certain extent, it succeeds.
There are certainly compositions worth highlighting.
The title track “Archetype” will appeal to fans of early Edguy and Orden Ogan,
while “Death from Above” and “Line of Fire” deliver strong hooks—the latter
even echoing HammerFall’s “Hearts on Fire” in its chorus. These moments show
that the band still knows how to craft engaging, melodic power metal.
However, the album leans more heavily into pomp than
necessary, and the production pushes everything to such an extreme polish that
the initial impact fades quickly. It’s impressive on first listen, but after a
few spins, many tracks struggle to remain memorable. The overall feeling is
that everything is performed and produced at maximum intensity, often without a
deeper musical reason beyond sheer spectacle.
As a modern power metal release, Archetype is far from
poor. Yet Secret Sphere have demonstrated in the past that they can deliver
material with more substance and staying power. Younger listeners or fans who
enjoy highly polished, symphonic-leaning power metal may find plenty to enjoy
here. More seasoned listeners, however, may look for something less grandiose
and more grounded in strong songwriting.
Ultimately, Archetype will resonate most with the
dedicated fanatics of this particular style.
Nick Parastatidis
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