Palantir - Chasing a Dream

Palantir

Chasing A Dream

by Kevin Lewis at 25 April 2022, 5:03 PM

PALANTIR is a six-piece band formed in 2012 in Stockholm, Sweden. They have a classic Power Metal sound and structure with dual guitars, keyboards, rapid-fire rhythm section and virtuoso vocals. Their second full-length album, “Chasing A Dream,” was released on March 1, 2022, via Stormspell Records.

The album begins with “Among the Stars,” a song that starts with an ethereal intro. A news report in the background announces the launch of a spaceship. Ethereal keyboards work over that announcement before it fades out and the main riff kicks in. We then get treated to the guitars and keys weaving in and out of leads throughout the rest of the song. The vocals are mostly in the upper register with a few good examples of belting and some lower end vocals to offset the highs.

“Astral Prison” is a song that builds slowly but ends up going to the power metal happy place, full-speed. Lots of high-speed guitar work and some really good high-pitched scream work from Marcus. That intro yell is pretty damn good. The rhythm is really nice on this one. The drums hang a little under blast beats at times, running a great tempo. The keyboards are more ethereal and under the riff for much of the song, though they do jump out front when needed. And let’s not forget the bass, hovering under the riff as well, setting a great foundation.

“Queen Of the Moon” has a little spinet piano intro before a neo-classical guitar piece transitions to the main body of the song. There is Victorian pageantry in this song. The bass plays a few nice runs, showing he isn’t just another pretty face; he can also be a shredder when he wants. The pace on this one is slower than the rest of the record, but still quite delightful.

Another song that favors us with a nice intro is “The Beast Within.” This one has keys and a few intermittent drums pieces to bring us to the promised land, the power metal riff/rhythm combination we all want. Here we get the keys running a different pattern than the rhythm guitar, creating a bit of tension, but not overshadowing the lead guitar. The key solo sounds like a space age jam session.

“Where I Belong” has a bit of futuristic sound to it also. The riff is a chugging piece of work, driving forward with a lot of power and poise. The keys are more of an accent, beefing up the rhythm in most places. Again, the vocals tend towards the epic delivery, giving the whole song a little bit more oomph.

PALANTIR are an able, adept band. They have a big sound and write catchy hooks with massive power chords. The rhythms are bombastic and fill the entire space. The only thing subdued about this band is their delicate intros that presage the power to come. They handle their business well.

When they delve into progressive metal, which most power metal bands do, they don’t go too far afield, sticking to their comfort zone. Hopefully, they will gain more confidence in the prog arena and will add more into their compositions. I have every faith they can handle that easily. I realize that not every Power Metal band wants to cross over into progressive, but these guys can if they want to. They showed an ability, all they need is the desire. That is for them to decide though.

Songwriting:  8
Musicianship:  9
Memorability:  8
Production:  8