Antiquus is obviously a group of talented musicians. As stated earlier, the guitar work on “Eleutheria” is simply fantastic, with tons of dual harmonies, inventive melodies, and brilliant leads. There is no keyboardist, but the lack of keys is certainly not a detriment, as the band is more than able to attain a pleasantly full sound on their own. Vocals here, as with the vast majority of bands of this ilk, are sweeping and high-pitched, often reminiscent of John Arch’s work with Fates Warning. The vocal pitch can be a bit much, bordering on ‘over the top’, but fans of this genre would most likely not expect less though I found them a tad shrill at times. Without the aid of a lyric sheet, I was able to conclude that “Eleutheria” is a concept album about the captain of some sort of starship sent to discover a new world, who then gets caught up in a convoluted web of treachery and intrigue. A creative narrative idea for certain, but not one to which strict attention must always be paid in order to enjoy the album.

”Eleutheria” benefits from a crisp, professional production job, and songs like “Redemption” (perhaps the best of the bunch), and the very majestic “I am Alive” display the band’s talent at writing lengthy, intricate works of detailed metal that while not the most immediately catchy, grow in the listener’s mind with each listen. Recommended for fans of such bands as Queensryche, Pain of Salvation and Sonata Arctica.