Wuthering Heights - Far From the Madding Crowd

Denmark's Wuthering Heights have been around for about a decade but it wasn't until the late nineties before their recording career got going, along with a deal via Sensory in North America. Main songwriter and guitarist Erik Ravn, along with vocalist Kristian Andren (ex-Tad Morose, Memento Mori) released the excellent Within in 1999. They quickly returned to the studio as Ravn, Andren, and keyboardist Rune S. Brink were joined by new members; drummer Morten Sorensen (Aurora), guitarist Henrik Flyman (Zool), and bassist Lorenzo Deho (Time Machine, Khali) for 2001's more progressive minded To Travel for Evermore. Once again member changes occured as Deho (Ravn handles bass also here) and Andren left prior to the recording of Far From the Madding Crowd.

Thus comes the biggest change for Wuthering Heights- one which has made many of their fans happy. In comes new vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson (Astral Doors, Space Odyssey) and his Dio-esque pipes. Perhaps more than ever Ravn's folk influence is showing. While keeping Wuthering Heights rooted in metal, Ravn explores various exotic textures which go well with the fantasy, Tolkien based themes which dominate the band's lyrics and imagery. Far From the Madding Crowd is an ambitious album and Johansson's vocals are more powerful and distinct than Andren's very good, but predictable metal style; however the songs just don't stick like they should. Very little of what Ravn has written here is catchy enough to be unforgettable. There has not been any decline in quality or ambition since Within, but I can't help but feel the band continues to stray from my personal tastes.