10 Great Rock & Metal Albums From 2018 You May Have Missed
1. VOLA - Applause Of A Distant Crowd
When VOLA first trounced onto the metal scene with Inmazes back in 2016, it sounded like a band wanting to take the polyrythmic riffs made popular by Meshuggah and mix them with typical Pop music choruses. While the blend was definitely strange, it worked rather well and fans were excited to see where they went next. 2018's Applause of a Distant Crowd was surely not what most expected.
The heavier riffs present in Inmazes are still there, influencing many of the tracks, but the heaviness was dialed back enough to warrant an argument for genre re-categorization. Inmazes was definitely metal. Applause of a Distant Crowd maybe has one whole metal song on the album.
But the lighter approach allowed for VOLA to go down a route that resulted in soaring soundscapes and beautiful atmosphere, surely a decision that will make this album even more memorable. And if that wasn't enough, the songs are catchy and easy to listen to.
Applause of a Distant Crowd is very accessible, and should have something for everyone.